


'tis the damn season

by kronque



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Author Does Not Recommend Emulating Characters in this Fic, Bad Decisions, Emotionally Unstable Character, Extramarital Affairs, Flawed characters, Gaslighting, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Infidelity, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Minor Armin Arlert/Annie Leonhart, Minor Character Death, Minor Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Minor Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Minor Oluo Bozado/Petra Ral, Minor Reiner Braun/Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Minor Sasha Blouse/Niccolo, Not Really Explored TBH, Omegaverse, Out of Character, Starting to Regret this Already, Unhealthy Relationships, Unprofessional Relationships, Unreliable Narrator, WTF I'm Just Giving the Plot Away, just vague mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:34:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronque/pseuds/kronque
Summary: In the eyes of his neighbors and acquaintances, Eren Jaeger leads the perfect suburban life; a stable job, a loving Alpha husband, and even an adorable 2 year old son.But reality is never really what it seems. Behind closed doors, Eren is more married to his job than he is to his husband, their so-called harmonious married life hid a tacit understanding to never interact, and even his son... wasn't actually his.Enter Levi Ackerman, Eren's new boss and best kept secret. But between man and wife, how long can a secret remain in the dark?
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager, Reiner Braun/Eren Yeager
Comments: 45
Kudos: 150





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alright this fic is set in modernity. There might be some hints of reincarnation, but it's not a theme in the story. Eren and Reiner are married here and in their mid-20's. Levi is a bachelor in his mid to late 30's and will be introduced later.

It wasn’t a new occurrence, by any means, but it was one that had grown in frequency as of late.

“Do you want breakfast before you go?”

At 8:30 on a Saturday morning, Reiner watches as Eren prepares to head out without so much as sparing his own husband a glance. 

“I’m in a rush, but thanks. Don’t wait up for me later.”

Eren smoothly readjusts his bag before reaching for the doorknob, the leather strap moving sleeve away to reveal a glimmering silver watch Reiner's never seen before. From behind the kitchen counter, the blond man furrows his already-terse brows, incapable of shaking off the growing discomfort in his gut.

At this point in time, the coldness and distance in their marriage could already be considered normal. They rarely exchanged more than 2 sentences at a time, and didn’t even sleep in the same room anymore. Eren had his own job and personal life outside the house, and so did Reiner. If it wasn’t for the fact that the two still lived under the same roof, none of their friends would even guess that they were still together.

Sighing, Reiner turns his head towards the calendar, absentmindedly tracing the edge of his black and white countertop as he swipes his phone screen. The cool, smooth texture of the marble slides underneath his fingertips as he dials up his most recent contact.

After the third ring, the call was picked up.

“Yo, it’s Ymir. Hisu’s getting Falco dressed, she’ll be down in a few minutes.” 

Cocking a brow, Reiner holds up his watch to check the time. Historia was running a bit late today.

“Alright then, tell her to take her time.”

On the other line, Ymir grumbles about how she still wouldn’t rush Historia even if he said otherwise. Reiner regularly forgets how much of a morning person Ymir wasn’t.

After a solid few minutes, the other line emits a shuffling noise as Historia finally got on. 

“Hey, sorry for the wait. Falco wouldn’t fall asleep last night so he was extra fussy today.”

Reiner feels the corners of his lips quirk up at the mental image, letting out a chuckle. “He must’ve gotten that from me, I was a bit of a needy kid growing up.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. No way that would’ve flown by with my mom.”

“How's he holding up now?”

“He’s calmed down enough, Ymir’s feeding him those animal crackers again. I’m trying to get him to cut down on the snacks, but Ymir cracks easily when the baby cries—”

Reiner’s mind goes a little blank at the mention of Ymir’s interactions with Falco. It wasn’t that he had a problem with her, if anything, it was the opposite. Ymir was brash and crude around other adults, but she was patient and caring enough with Falco—everything that Reiner could ask for in a step-parent in all honesty. Still, her warm attitude made for a painful comparison when he thought about how Eren acted around Falco.

Eren would never care for Falco like Ymir. He was already angry enough when Reiner tried to give Gabi’s old room to Falco. The fight that followed ended up with them splitting sleeping quarters indefinitely. Eren moved into Gabi’s room, leaving Reiner behind in their old room. 

Falco still got his own space, but conflict over Gabi’s room made for strained interactions between them. Eren wouldn’t mistreat him at the very least, but he would also never take the initiative to engage with his stepson. 

“—We’ll be there in about an hour, you don’t have anything urgent do you?”

Reiner pauses, finally recollecting himself. “No, nothing in the way. An hour’s perfect. I’ll see you guys soon.”

After a quick goodbye, Reiner hangs up, fingers still hovering over his phone as he turns his head to look at the barely-used dining table on his right. Past the furniture, he spots the mounted picture of his now-fractured family from years past.

Home life wasn’t always like this.

There was a time when he and Eren were happy together. Healthy, functional—open even—like a real couple. They met and fell in love under normal circumstances, starting as college friends with an undeniable attraction for one another. Eren, a particular vivacious and outspoken Omega junior and Reiner, his reliable and charismatic Alpha senior.

It was clear to all their friends that they were serious about each other, so when Eren got pregnant a few months shy of graduation, no one was surprised. Reiner was lined up for a reliable-enough full-time job offer and combined with the fact that their feelings were at their peak, it felt like a no brainer to get married.

But then things started going to shit.

It didn’t happen immediately, of course. Reiner couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that things began to fall apart, but there were many things that soured after their daughter’s health showed signs of decline.

  
Bertolt had told him, of course, that it was bound to happen. See, Reiner had issues, _has_ issues with his own demons long before Eren came along—not that it excused any of his later actions. He was born to a single mother, a bitterly scorned woman, who drilled it into his head that it was his responsibility to bring his father back, reunite the family, make everyone happy. He had to be the perfect son, the perfect friend, the perfect leader, and then… the perfect partner.

Truth to be told, he didn’t even like Eren that much when they first started dating. He wasn’t the sweetest or most amiable Omega (that was his type, ok?), and in Reiner’s opinion, only had his looks going for him. But Eren admired him, respected him like no one else. It was easy to please him, bolstering Reiner's own confidence and self-worth, motivating him to keep up this perfect image and relationship.

Before he knew it, the line between pretense and sincerity blurred into an unrecognizable haze. What was real and what was fake? Did he like Eren because he was a convenient accessory, or was it because of the warmth that Eren’s soft, honeyed hands provided?

Reiner could see it then, how much he came to truly love his Omega. It was liberating, to fill a role because he had the heart for it as opposed to doing so out of duty. For what felt like the first time in his life, Reiner didn’t have to pretend, didn’t have to lie and wallow in his guilt of being an empty shell.

They’d been happy for a long time, so when Gabi was suddenly diagnosed with a chronic disease, Reiner wondered if this was the price he had to pay for the brief period of paradise he had with his beloved family.

He and Eren grew apart, too frantic to get things in order for Gabi’s treatment, brimming with anxiety to cover the costs as inexperienced new parents. In their crisis, they began to fight more, Reiner remembers leaving the house almost as often as Eren does these days.

Eren still blames him for what happened that night.

There were times when Reiner wanted to snap and lash out at her, to scream and tell her that even if he were there with them that night, Gabi would still leave. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Reiner couldn’t say it because deep down, he knew he deserved her resentment and condemnation.

That night… Gabi breathed her last without seeing her father for the last time, Eren trying his best not to cry his lungs out next to her. Reiner didn’t know until the morning after, rushing to hospital only to find his soulless wife caressing the head of their lifeless child underneath the sterile white sheet.

Back in the kitchen, Reiner turns his head to look at the calendar on the fridge, eyes flickered over the contents before he sinks into thought again.

It was his turn to have Falco over this week, meaning Eren was about to make himself even more scarce.

Falco was his and Historia’s 2-year-old son, born almost 3 years into his marriage with Eren. Anyone with half a mind would be able to guess that his birth didn’t happen under the most normal circumstances, but Reiner loved Falco with all his heart and still hoped Eren would eventually come to tolerate him.

Their marriage was already strained from Gabi’s diagnosis, and Eren wouldn’t look him in the eye for months after they buried their daughter. They had a nuclear screaming match when he found out about Historia, with several choice words being thrown around that day. Reiner tried to explain that it was an accident, a one-time thing—cliche as that sounded, but Eren wouldn’t have it.

He left home for a good few weeks, but still came back in the end. Despite how they’d been treating each other, Reiner still loved him. Jean, Connie, and maybe even Armin would probably lose their shit and jump him if he ever dared to say something like that out loud considering what he put Eren through, but it was the truth. 

They’d had a fight that night, when he went to see Historia. Angry and in need of emotional support, Reiner had spent the evening at his Omega friend’s place. She unknowingly went into heat the same night, and in his drunken stupor, Reiner couldn’t even recall how they ended up tangled in her sheets the next morning.

Eren doesn’t forgive him. Eren’s friends and even Annie won't speak to him unless necessary. Reiner knew he fucked up, but the fact that no one was willing to even allow him a chance to atone drove him insane with desperation.

Deep into the night, there were times when he would instinctively reach for a body that had long left. Reiner clings on to any bit of hope he could find. Eren’s apathy couldn’t last forever, could it? He always gave in whenever Reiner vetoed a separation, so deep down, Eren still had to love him too.

Reiner is unwilling, so against entertaining even the thought of a future without Eren. If he really left, then… Reiner would be left with no choice but to kill himself, right? Eren hasn’t given on him yet, he couldn’t.

Reiner has to help him heal, help him forgive and move on for everyone’s sake. But after so much time, why was it that Eren was still so indifferent? Marriage counseling didn’t work, time apart didn’t work, hell—even Reiner’s idea to try for another baby again was (very angrily) shot down as soon as it left his mouth. Their distance grew, and before long, Eren became unrecognizable.

It was like a switch had been flipped after Gabi left them. The passionate, rambunctious Eren who wore his heart on his sleeve turned impassive and restrained overnight. It became rare for him to lose his temper over anything unrelated to Gabi. He would only speak in this soft, calm, yet eerily detached tone whenever Reiner was around. His expressions became muted, his outbursts non-existent; the once-blazing fire in his eyes dimming down to a flickering flame.

Once Falco was old enough to visit, Eren would have that cool, unperturbed look in his eyes whenever he saw the child. It was as if he wasn’t even bothered by how Falco was conceived, but Eren’s eagerness to leave the house when he was there gave him away.

Eren had never spent any time with Falco alone (not that Falco was old enough to wonder why or even care). Reiner had hoped that he would eventually warm up to him, even if Eren couldn’t see Falco as his own son. That hope amounted to nothing, but he was still grateful that at the very least, Eren would never do anything to purposely hurt anyone’s feelings.

It wasn’t unusual for him to spend a night or two at Sasha’s or Armin’s when Falco was home. Reiner was afraid of stirring up more of Eren’s resentment, so he never pushed him to change those habits.

It was becoming apparent to him now that giving Eren so much space didn’t actually cool him off. On the contrary, it had wedged an even bigger rift, one that Reiner could see no easy way of closing.

Sighing as he leaves his seat, Reiner moves to pour his half-empty mug into the sink, the wedding band on his left hand clinking against the handle as he grips it.

It wasn’t time yet. He couldn’t push Eren any more than this for now; it might make him blow up again if something went wrong. Things were a bit awkward between them at the moment, but it was considerably better than it was when Gabi’s passing was still fresh. Eren’s new job at that German firm made him more patient and mellow at home, something Reiner has been very grateful for.

He glances down at his watch again. It’ll be some time until Historia and Ymir arrive with Falco, so Reiner figured he might as well get some work down. Depending on his luck, Eren might even text back to tell him he was coming home, and that was always something that Reiner looked forward to, damper as it might sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'ALL I'VE BEEN WRITING THIS SHIT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR >:( I went thru 4 fckn drafts and had to draw fanart to keep myself interested. I meant to finish this before publishing but I'm pretty sure at this point if I don't post I'll never even get around to completion. I also meant to make this genderbent Eren... Even drew a portrait for it... bUT IDK I CHANGED MY MIND IN THE LAST DRAFT AND JUST WENT "OK OMEGAVERSE TIME" WITHOUT EVEN DELVING INTO THE OMEGAVERSE ASPECT OF THIS FIIICCC. There might be some pronouns that I forgot to change too, so let me know if you spot sth.
> 
> It's been almost 7 years since I last attempted to write an snk fic, pls be gentle w my ass.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A third party's view on a third party's role.

Petra Ral prides herself on many things. She was a loving daughter and sister, a thoughtful friend and colleague, and most recently, a devoted fiancee. Her most celebrated virtue was her compassion—conceited as it might come off to boast, but it was the truth.

(Her ability to make a mean triple chocolate brownie was also a personal favorite but that was irrelevant to the point Petra was about to make).

Unfortunately enough, it was probably that same compassion that forced her into the position she was currently in.

Well past midnight after a work party, Petra shifts awkwardly in the backseat of Levi Ackerman’s car, her slight movement causing the limp figure leaning against her to stir as well.

The ride had been an uncomfortably silent one—at least for Petra. She hadn’t actually planned on speaking with the people present until they came to their senses, so to say, but things never seem to like going her way as of late. 

“You still tryna find ways to make us ‘right our wrongs’ or some bull?” A surly voice interrupts her thoughts.

From the driver’s seat, gunmetal eyes flicker to where Petra sat from the rearview mirror. The deathly grip on the wheel made Petra sharply aware of the other person’s sour mood, but even so, she asked—

“Are you seriously not going to try?”

Levi lets out a sigh, shoulders sagging as he focuses on her. “Look, Petra, don’t take this the wrong way, but it happens all the time with estranged couples. I appreciate you looking out for us, but it’s not your call to make. We’re all adults here, I’m sure we can handle the consequences of our shitty actions.”

Petra frowns, thinking—that didn’t seem like such a good plan. The whole point of ending his and Eren’s affair was to minimize ,if not, avoid the consequences altogether.

“You… But if you drag it out, won’t it be even more painful? I just don’t want anyone getting—”

“Stop, Petra, just—” Levi clenches his jaw, clearly not in the mood to quarrel. “We’re not having this conversation again. Just help me get him home safely, that’s the only reason why you’re here, isn’t it?”

“...”

Ugh. The things she’d do to prevent a potentially violent situation. If it weren’t for Eren being completely hammered, Petra would never have agreed to put herself in an accomplice position by covering for Eren and his... What were he and Levi now, lovers?

It was bad enough that she knew about the whole fiasco, but now, Petra had to become an accomplice. She was getting married soon, and playing a role in someone else’s infidelity was seriously putting a damper on her excitement for her upcoming marriage. 

Eyes twitching, Petra sits up straighter to discreetly move Eren off her shoulders. It was probably really paranoid of her to think so, but she was secretly worried that Eren’s cheater vibes might rub off on her if they made contact for too long.

Eren was a fine friend—a good one, actually, and Petra happened to find his company perfectly pleasant. She was also pretty sure that the majority of their office felt the same way, though a certain  _ someone _ might’ve enjoyed his presence a little too… personally.

Petra still couldn’t believe something like that happened to people she was close to. Sure, some of her friends had a bit of personal drama here and there that she was privy to, but no one ever had anything on  _ this _ scale. And the people involved didn’t even seem bothered at all! Here she was, agonizing over the second-hand guilt of knowing the tea, but the two people who were actually  _ causing _ the mess just went on with their lives as if SHE were the one who should be plagued by a conscience.

Petra glares daggers at the mirror as she resumes her internal angst. How the heck did it even happen anyway? As far as she knew, Levi hadn’t gone on a  _ date _ -date since the Queen of frickin’ England was born. Or maybe that was still true and he and Eren were just hooking up.

Buuut, that was likely not the case here. 

Thinking back, there’d been many times that Petra could recall seeing them act all touchy feely when they thought no one was watching. The butt-squeezes and occasional smacks were to be expected, but the tender hand-holding and cheek nuzzles were waaaay too intimate for just bed-buddies. They probably thought they were being slick too, finding corners to sneak their little skinship in but Petra had been watching them like a hawk since that day at Hanji’s housewarming party.

She shudders at the memory. Back then, Levi and Eren thought it’d be a fun idea to…  _ christen _ Hanji’s upstairs bathroom sink without even bothering to lock the god-forsaken door. Petra was still haunted by “that scenery” of her dear friend's taut, honeyed cheeks getting clapped by her former boss. Levi didn’t even have the decency to stop what he was doing when he saw her come in, but Eren wasn’t much better anyway, moaning uselessly on the marbled countertop without even thinking to help Petra snap out of her horror at the doorway.

When confronted the next day, Eren only told her “I am free” without so many as an explanation. Seriously, who does that? Petra tried to tell him that he couldn’t just cite the First Amendment in response to every accusation against him, but like every piece of useful advice she gave him these days, that just went over his head. 

Petra had been sure that Eren was a normal person, but lately, she’s had to reconsider some things. Everyone knew that Eren was no stereotypical omega. He lacked the non-confrontational disposition that many of them innately possessed and was never afraid to take action in the interest of his beliefs, even if said actions were… morally ambiguous. But aside from his sociopathic tendency to put others in harm’s way to protect a few friends, Eren was also strange because he found Levi’s jokes funny.

It was no secret to anyone in the firm that Levi made (literal) shit jokes. It physically hurt to listen to his bone-dry humour, so when he stopped cracking them up out of consideration for everyone else’s work morale, Petra had been grateful.

Sadly enough, no good thing could truly last forever. It would seemed that Levi had found a newer, more enthusiastic audience in Eren. Petra lost count of all the mortifying moments she went through as a result of Eren’s Levi-styled double entendres. If she had to listen to another turd-related gag about brownies, Petra was never going to make them ever again, and Eren would have to take the fall for that.

“We’re here.” All of a sudden, Levi’s distinctly low voice cuts her off.

Petra realizes with a jolt that a good deal of time had already passed since they left the venue. The car slows to stop, its speed suspiciously considerate of its passengers despite the person driving.

Petra meekly cranes her neck to look out the window for an example of a fractured couple’s abode—for future references, of course, so she could spot telltale signs in (the very unlikely) case her own marriage developed problems.

It was a nice place, in all honesty. Nothing out of the ordinary, a neatly mowed lawn and a cozy-looking house, ironic given the situation. There was some light shining through the downstairs windows of the building, signally that someone was still awake.

Petra nibbles nervously on the inner flesh of her mouth, anxiety mounting from the fact that the person waiting for Eren was almost definitely his husband. She looks up to see if Levi was also affected by the situation, but to her bewilderment (and slight exasperation), he seems unfazed as he shuffles in his seat, hands occupied with packing up Eren’s things.

Resigning to her fate, Petra sluggishly takes the items from Levi before opening the car door, pulling a still-unconscious Eren by the wrists before slinging an arm over his shoulder.

“Don’t let his hand bend like that, the watch will dig into his skin.”

Petra pauses, realizing with a bit of surprise that Eren had indeed been wearing a watch. Aided by the dimness of the night, it remained well-hidden underneath the fabric of his sleeve. Petra nudges his arm bit, successfully relieving the pressure placed on Eren’s wrist.

Ahead of them, a tall blond man swiftly approaches from the open front door, his frame large and intimidating.

Petra clutches Eren’s limp hands, hesitating. She never got around to asking Eren about his home life, being too disappointed in him for making destructive life choices and all. With a dismaying amount of regret, Petra considers all the valid reasons why Eren wouldn’t even bother defending his life choices with something other than “I am free”.

This, of course, brings her to the inevitable, 'What if Eren’s marriage was physically abusive?' It was a bit of a stretch, but combined with the man’s hulkish build, Petra’s sleep-deprived imagination couldn’t help fearing for the worst. Eren might not seem like the type to take abuse lying face down, but he was still an omega. If Petra remembers correctly, his husband was an Alpha. Even if Eren was unusually strong and resilient, his natural physique was designed to be inferior, and the fact that his husband looked like  _ that _ certainly did no favours for Petra’s anxiety.

She turns around to face the car, as if imploring the person inside to see if she really should still hand Eren over. Levi’s expression couldn’t be made out under the tint, but Petra could see the outline of his head move to give her a slight nod.

Eren’s husband suddenly appears in front of them, allowing Petra to have a better look of his face. With surprise, she notes that despite his sharp features, his face was surprisingly mellow from the tender expression he put up. He was the poster-child of an Alpha male with his chiseled cheeks and aquiline nose, reminding Petra a bit of a sculpture she’d seen once at some German museum. 

“Thanks for bringing Eren home, I’m Reiner, are you his friend?”

Petra nods, dazed as she tries not to let the guilt of what she knows show as she introduces herself. “It’s no problem, I’m Petra from work. You’re Eren’s husband?”

Even in the darkness of the night, Petra could still see Reiner’s eyes light up at her words.

“I am, did she mention me to you?”

“... Once or twice, yes.” Petra does her best to not cringe, her conscience kicking her square in the gut as she tries to ‘embellish the truth’. 

Contrary to her earlier concerns, Reiner doesn't seem... prone to physical violence, so Eren’s marriage problems unlikely to stem from abuse. Petra had also entertained the possibility that Eren was seeking intimacy from someone else because his own husband wasn’t paying attention to him, but that also didn’t seem to be the case. Reiner appeared visibly enthused at the prospect of his own husband making his existence known to his friends, so Petra strongly doubted that he was disinterested in Eren.

Smiling softly, Reiner thanks her again before moving to take the sleeping young man from her, his movements slow and considerate.

Petra doesn’t stay to watch them enter the house, instead hurriedly rushing back to Levi’s car.

After shutting the door, she glances up to look at the man in the front, only to find out he was still fixated on the scene she was just at.

Petra watches with slight sympathy as her friend and former-boss’s eyes trail after his lover and said lover’s husband, gaze stoic as he regards them. 

What a strange position she was once again put in. Petra wants to offer words of comfort, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to give off the impression that she condoned his and Eren’s actions. Now was actually a pretty good time to remind Levi why his “relationship” was a bad idea, but his lost expression was making it difficult for her to start.

Still… someone has to say something.

“You’re not actually counting on them breaking up, are you?”

Petra narrows her eyes at him. It was common knowledge that affairs never end with the third party becoming an official partner. She figures their infatuation with each other was a temporary fixation. Afterall, Eren was married and Levi,  _ well _ \--

_Levi_ has a history of flipping through omega lovers like underwear. Some stuck around longer than others, because depending on how willing they were to  _ not _ commit, their chances of being allowed to stick around would rise proportionately. According to this logic, it would seem that Eren was the best at this criteria, what—with him being married and all, but at the same time, Petra couldn’t help but suspect that this time, the lack of commitment might not actually be what Levi wanted from Eren.

“... Why are you bringing this up?”

Well gosh diddly darn, Petra was right. 

Her incredulous face probably rubbed Levi the wrong way considering the sharp scowl sent in her direction, but instead of stopping, she pushes further.

“Don’t avoid the question, at least tell me something after what you put me through!”

Levi sighs, moving his fingers up to rub the space between his brows.

“Look, I’m not saying that I planned for this, but even without me in the picture, it’s just a matter of time before a divorce happens.”

  
Petra furrows her eyebrows, a bit peeved at the generic excuse but also curious as to what he knows. “What do you mean?”

  
“We should get going--”

“ _ No _ . At least tell me  _ why _ I should stop trying to convince--”   
  


“It's none of your god-damn business, alright!?” Levi all but snaps, narrowing his already slim eyes in the process. “It’s not my place to tell you, but just know that you should stop demonizing Eren for what we’re doing. Reiner’s no saint, and if I have to be frank, I think he’s got it too easy considering what he’s done to Eren.”

What?

Petra widens her eyes in shock at his uncharacteristic outburst. From the sound of it, the issue was way too sensitive for her to dabble in, or maybe Levi was just exaggerating to justify his own means. Still, the topic was clearly off bounds, and Petra likes to think she didn’t have to be told twice against treading on delicate matters. She lowers her eyes apologetically, halting her questions as the wheels begin to turn again.

It still wasn’t right to wrong others just because they hurt you first, Petra muses. If Eren really couldn’t work things out with his husband, why didn’t he just leave him honestly? Even now, Petra couldn’t condone his and Levi’s actions. It went against her percieved values, and at this point, might even compromise the mental of her friends.

Still, Petra would understand that it wasn’t her place to demand an explanation of anything from them, be it Levi, Eren, or evem Eren’s husband. She wasn’t going to get all chummy with any them again anytime soon, but Petra figured it would serve no purpose if she just continues on ignoring them.

If Levi was right, Eren was eventually going to pursue the honest path anyway. And if he wasn’t…

Petra sneaks a look at the bulging veins on the hands steering the wheel.

The affair wasn’t going to end quietly even if Eren doesn’t break off his marriage.

In the many years she’d known Levi, more than half were spent with her as his subordinate. Aside from Hanji and Erwin (and perhaps Eren now), Petra was almost confident she knew her former boss best.

His previous track record of lovers was no secret to their little circle, but it was common knowledge that he didn’t do office romance, especially not with someone whose job was linked so closely to his. Petra wasn’t sure why Eren was an exception, but something told her the affair was something more serious than a short-lived fling based on nothing but sexual chemistry.

Auruo was convinced that she was overthinking since that day at the aquarium. For a person who was supposedly dissatisfied with Eren, he sure was defensive of his character (Or maybe it was just a product of him protecting his idol, Levi).

See, they were on their own little date that day. Petra had planned an entire itinerary of things they were going to do since they finally had a week off to themselves, but not even half an hour into their tour, her mood was perturbed by a certain sight.

At the end of the lane, two lone figures were wrapped together in what seemed to be a heated embrace. It was still early, so Petra didn’t think much of a couple sneaking around for some alone time. If it weren’t for the soft sobs of one of the parties, she never would have even pried, worried that someone was being put in a situation they didn’t consent to.

It made for an awkward encounter. Eren claimed he was crying because of a recent loss in his family, while Levi coolly added that their being together was a friendly outing to help her cope. Auruo was all too eager to eat the story up, singing Levi praises of how despite his cold exterior, he was still a caring and compassionate superior at heart.

Yeah, caring and compassionate, alright. So much so that he was willing to use…  _ unconventional _ means to ‘comfort’ his ‘friend’.

Petra knows for a fact that Levi wasn’t one to settle on a single person for long. He had that effect on Omegas and a good chunk of Betas, always drawing them closer, only to for them to cruelly be shut down when they tried to seek something more permanent. It was probably why he wouldn’t take his colleagues as lovers, but then Eren happened.

Judging by his insistence to continue the relationship, Petra had strong reason to suspect that he wanted Eren to leave his husband and pursue a proper relationship with him. The aspiration wasn’t glorious by any means, but Petra couldn’t fault him for having simple human desires.

“We’re here, don’t forget your stuff.”

Petra blinks away the dryness in her eyes, thoroughly tired from the night she’s had. “Thanks for the lift.”

Levi only grunts in response, not turning to look at her. Without taking offense to his lack of enthusiasm, Petra wordlessly grabs her belongings before unlatching the door again, aching so bad to just collapse on her bed. 

She was done judging her friends. Maybe Eren was right, everyone is free to make poor life choices, after all, that’s how morally upright people get to look good, right? There’s no harm without comparison, but there’s also no gain without comparison. Besides, Petra was Eren's friend, not Reiner’s. Even if she didn’t support his mistakes, Petra figures it would do no harm to make herself available when he (inevitably) falls. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sigh... This is taking painfully long to edit but since I already spent like 5 mf months agonizing over whether to continue it, I'm gonna try to see it through the end. Hopefully the pacing is ok and the plot isn't too flat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stubborn optimism.

“Heyyyy!! Shawty! Shorty! You’re finally home!”

Before he could even set foot into his loft, Levi’s ears are assaulted by the shrill sound of pure evil. Dropping his keys on the closest surface, he clicks his tongue and grouchily makes his way towards the sound of the noise. His psycho friend had broken into his house again.

“This isn’t your home, Shitty Glasses. And what the hell are you even doing here at this ungodly hour?”

Hanji grins down at him with the energy that no human should possess at 2 am in the morning.

“Just passing by, Eren didn’t come over tonight?”

Son of a--

Now Levi finally understands why Hanji’s tone-deafness was such a pain for the rest of the crew when they were still starting out. One of these days, this fucker might just get themselves decked for not reading the room.

“I’ll cut this short. Get the fuck out of my place, I need to sleep.”

“Le-viiiii~” Hanji’s annoying sing-songy voice pierces his ears out again, driving Levi absolutely nuts. “You’ve been ignoring me since our little cafe date. Is it so hard to admit your feelings to your bestest friend in the world?”

“You’re not the best at anything, unless there’s a leaderboard for being a raging maniac. And I don’t have to admit jack shit—hey HEY! Keep those filthy shoes off of my couch!”

For once, Hanji heeds his warning, narrowly stopping their nasty feet from dirtying his furniture. Their face suddenly turned serious, prompting Levi to sigh now that he realizes the purpose of this random-ass visit. They were here for some sort of intervention.

“You’re not giving me real updates, so I’ll just have to keep on checking up on you, Levi. If even you don’t know what you’re doing, I can’t, in good conscience as your friend, let you set yourself up for pain.”

Damn. They got him on that one, but Levi (not-so-respectfully) disagrees with the last statement. “Refrain from making bullshit assumptions about others, Four-Eyes. And for your information, I know exactly what I’m getting into.”

Hanji shoots him an unconvinced look, leaning closer. Levi mentally prepares for an onslaught of a lecture, only for his wacko friend to suddenly break out in a ball of frantic energy as if thought the last 2 minutes hadn’t happened. “Okay then! I’ll be dropping by another day to make sure you don’t off yourself! See you later!”

Levi kisses his teeth, wanting to argue and tell them they weren’t “dropping by” again, but with the day he’s had, he wasn’t sure if he could spare the effort. In the end, Hanji got off scotch free, whistling a jovial tune as they made their way out like they owned the place. 

Back in the loft, Levi all but rips his tie out before slumping into bed, groaning in the relief. He aches for a shower, but the comfort of the mattress was stomping on his willpower and usual clean-freakery-ness.

Levi slips into the covers, neatly positioning himself on one side despite being the bed’s only current occupant. He makes up his mind to forgo his habits for once, weakness sweeping over him as his muscles begin to give out. Stuck in a state of fatigue and restlessness, Levi finds himself tossing and turning in a desperate attempt to find a more sleep-inducing position.

He flips over to face the other side, looking blankly at the empty spot on the other pillow. Without another thought, Levi reaches for the pillow, bringing closer to his chest as he wraps his arms around it. It still smells like him.

When did it start?

When indeed. When did Eren go from being Levi’s bubbly, outspoken assistant slash friend, to his most intimate confidante and lover?

He’s always been attracted to him. What, high cheekbones, a perfect smile and those swirling sea-green eyes that Levi found so painfully familiar yet not? And not to mention the delicious curve of that plump behind. Eren ticked all the boxes of being Levi’s type, and to top it off, he was an Omega. Levi prides himself on his unrivalled degree of self-control when it comes to biological imperatives, so when Eren came along, Levi was baffled by the sheer utter lack of restraint he had over his own nether regions. 

He truly hadn’t meant to start something, truly. The fact that Eren was his own assistant made Levi hesitant enough, and the other problem was his concern that Eren would be hurt when the time came for them to end it. In the end, instinct overruled them anyway, hence their current predicaments. It was such a cliche, honestly. A corporate bigshot and his hot Omega PA, nothing novel for the local busybodies’ prying noses.

Fuckbuddies weren’t a rarity for Levi, in fact, most of his prior flings were with casual lovers as opposed to official partners. The lack of prolonged commitment made it easier for when he got bored and moved on, giving them no leeway to force him into anything. It was also his obsession for convenience that pushed him to make it a rule for himself to never start something with someone he worked with.

Levi prefers not giving potentially crazy exes a chance to do something that would compromise Flugel der Freiheit.

He wasn’t even sure why he broke his own made-up rule for this one person. From the time he laid eyes on this monstrosity of personality, he felt himself gravitate towards Eren’s loud presence. After getting to know him, Levi found that on top of being perfect at his job, his Omega assistant was also excellent company and really... charming.

While Eren was easy to get along with, he wasn’t one to let others walk all over him for the sake of keeping the peace. He was witty, confident, fearless, and get this—he found Levi’s jokes hilarious. After decades of cracking his signature shit jokes, Levi had already begun to accept that no one on his god-forsaken planet could ever appreciate his genius. Not that he wasn’t going to stop making them—hell no, they were perfectly funny and brought relief to the excruciating pain of being alive.

It wasn’t the first time that someone laughed at his joke, but when Eren did it, it felt different, familiar, like a dynamic he’s always known yet couldn’t recall. Eren’s mirth was warm and infectious. When he smiled, his large, cat-like eyes would turn into beautiful crescents with twinkling green pools, his lips stretching to reveal those adorably sharp canines. 

Perhaps he’d been infatuated with Eren for longer than he thought. When he heard Petra ask about a husband Levi’s never known before, he couldn’t pin the emotion down. Was it disappointment? Grief? Envy? He’d downed a good amount of liquor at the party that day, too upset and confused at his own reaction to form a single clear thought. 

Levi wonders if Reiner’s existence pained Eren as much as it did him, because that same night, they ended up on his bed, unabashed and desperate to get all over each other after Eren promised Erwin and Hanji to bring him home safely.

Eren apologized the next morning (for what?), promising to keep their night together under wraps and pretend it never happened if that was what he wanted.

And if it wasn’t?

He’d asked Eren that. Almost a year later, they were still seeing each other, meeting most frequently in the weeks that Eren’s husband had his son over. 

Levi isn’t sure how to define their relationship anymore. ‘Officially’, they were friends with benefits. In reality, the lines were much more blurred. Friends with benefits didn’t typically spend quality time together outside of sex, but that was what he found himself doing with Eren on a near-regular basis. They also didn’t go out of their way to spend birthdays with each other, but that ended up happening as well.

Still, Levi had to admit it filled him with a great deal of joy and satisfaction when his lover squeezed time out of his own family’s Christmas night to celebrate his birthday with him, douchey as that seemed on his end. Levi wasn’t a fan of Christmas or birthdays, but since the sentiment came from Eren, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell with tenderness.

Those were the moments he treasured most, those were the moments where he could pretend like he and Eren were a real couple. 

But when did he even start caring about things like that? Why now, why with Eren, of all people? He was the worst possible person to fall in love with. He was Levi’s subordinate, a close friend, but worst of all, he was married. 

Petra had tried to guilt him for encouraging Eren to ignore his husband, but let’s get real here, if she knew what that bastard did, Levi suspects he’d be hearing a lot less from her. And besides, it wasn’t like Eren was already doing that prior to his side-relationship. It took him a good few months to open up about his Gabi, but Levi could understand why. He didn’t have a child himself, but his American Shorthair, Reese, could be counted as his baby. If anyone ever tried to hurt that lazy fucker, he’d have their head served on a silver platter for said fucker’s dinner.

Ugh. His little mental tirade wasn’t bringing him any closer to slumber.

Levi scoots closer to where Eren usually sleeps, determined to try anything as long as it got him to sleep, when he felt it. In the spot he pulled the pillow from, a blush-coloured button up lay forgotten underneath the sheets. 

He brings the shirt closer to face, eyes lost in contemplation as he backtracks to the last time he saw the garment. It was quite recent, actually. Eren wore this shirt when he came over two days ago, face flushed and hair a hot mess. 

There was a surprise underneath, he promised. A black, lacy surprise to be specific. Needless to the say, the button up was promptly discarded and forgotten as soon as Eren stepped foot inside.

Like the pillow, it still smells like him, the soft fragrance of roses and honey and something distinctly Eren. It was pretty comforting actually. Levi holds the shirt to his chest, his breathing evening out as his body finally succumbs to rest.

Hanji was wrong. 

With his last bout of consciousness, Levi replays the words Hanji had given him that day at the cafe.

He refuses to believe them, he couldn’t afford to. 

Eren has no reason left to stay with that piece of shit forever, right? He was only like this because of their daughter. Levi had to have faith in him. He’d never dared to push Eren into ending his marriage, but surely, after all this time, Eren had given it some thought? Levi truly couldn’t believe that his heart hadn’t moved despite all the things they’d been through together.

No one was going to convince him to back off. Levi had to shoot his shot or regret not fighting for a chance for the rest of his life. He had to make the choice he would regret the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've no idea if i proofread shit right. it's 3:04am in the morning and I have class at 8 :< can't even sleep in the afternoon cos i've got a dentist appointment grrrr SORRY GUYS ILL REPLY TO THE COMMENTS LATER


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glance into a day of this drama's main player.

The first thing Eren notices after waking up is the blinding sunlight. In the back of his eyes, a throbbing pain shoots up on top of his headache as soon as he turns to face the light, rendering him practically blind.

Groaning softly, he turns over to check the time. 

10:49am. 

Thank god it was still morning. 

Of all days, Armin just  _ had _ to choose the morning after Eren had a rough night out to have lunch with the gang. Like, yeah, he wasn’t the one responsible for Eren having a killer hangover on this very day, but he should’ve  _ anticipated _ it. It totally wasn’t Eren’s fault he was going to be late.

Quickly downing some water, he sits up on the bed to check his phone. 

Eh... 5 new messages and 1 new alert. 

Eren ignores the texts and taps straight for the red banner, realizing with a jolt that his heat was almost here again. Well, at least that explained his neediness for the past week. 

Without finishing the rest of the water, Eren groggily makes his way out of bed after jotting down a reminder to pick up his suppressants. Heat or no heat, the medication did their job at preventing unplanned pregnancies.

It was always unbearable to leave the hot shower during an off-day like this, but Eren was running out of time and had no choice but to bid his steamy refuge goodbye. He throws on a simple white tee and some dark jeans to match, tucking the shirt in in an effort to appear like he gave a shit about his closet choice. 

Eren wastes no time in leaving the room as soon as he was done getting ready, only to suddenly freeze when he set sight on the person in front of him..

Oops. He completely forgot it was Reiner’s turn to have Falco over.

Eren shuffles awkwardly to the side. It should probably bother him that he barely knew this child despite the time they spent together under the same roof, but then again, it wasn’t like Eren had been keen on this situation in the first place. Still, this was a guest in his house, so Eren figures he should at least nod at the boy and (try to) smile to acknowledge his presence.

Falco squirms a bit when he sees this, looking like he wants to approach but is too shy to. Quite frankly, Eren wasn’t interested. He pretends not to notice Falco’s enthusiasm and hurriedly grabs his bag and essentials, swiftly descending down the stairs before the child could find the opportunity to catch up with him.

Halfway down the steps, Reiner suddenly pops out of the kitchen doorway and stops him in his steps. The older man looked like he hadn’t slept a wink, likely because of the fact that he’d stayed up all night waiting for Eren.

Whatever, he snorts internally. Eren didn’t ask him to do this, what Reiner does now was none of his concern— it hadn’t been for a long time.

“You’re going out again?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting with Armin and the others for lunch, I’ll be back before dinner.”

Reiner stares at him with a fragile look in his eyes. Eren furrows his brows, bemused by his reaction. What was he getting all angsty for this time?

“I see… Tell them I said hi.”

Finally. If he had to endure another second of Reiner’s drama on top of the splitting headache, Eren suspects he might implode. 

Mumbling a quick affirmative, Eren all but dashes out the door, not even looking back once to see what kind of face his husband was making.

The drive to the waffle place wasn’t too lengthy by any means, but Eren drove extra slow (Mom would be so proud…) to avoid accidents on account of his aching head. Armin, Jean, Sasha, and Connie were already there, but Marco had to cancel because of issues Eren couldn’t be bothered to remember.

“Eren! You’re late!” Armin’s voice came from the corner of the room, his familiar blond head catching Eren’s attention.

Smiling for the first time that day, he makes his way towards their usual table, the soles of his dark leather boosts making soft clacking noises as he walks.

“Sorry, I woke up with a killer hangover from last night. Thought you guys would ditch me for sure.”   
  
“We totally would’ve, if it weren’t for He-Man over there.” Ah, Jean. He’ll never stop being Eren’s biggest fan.

Eren smiles, not all bothered by the obvious provocation despite it coming from Jean of all people. Time and distance truly did wonders for human relationships.

“I’m gonna let that slide since we haven’t seen each other in a while, Horseface, but one more strike and we’re settling this in a brawl.”

Sasha groans, scrunching her face up in the process. “The last time that happened, you two knocked over a whole plate of tempura. There were at least 5 of them still on that plate! Take your little catfights out next time.”

“It’s NOT a catfight!” Jean and Eren exclaimed at the same time, only to quickly shut up and start an intense glaring match right after. 

Next to Eren, Armin raises a brow at their antics. For two people who apparently couldn’t sit down for 5 minutes without clashing, Jean and Eren sure had a weird lot of similar traits.

After placing their order (a considerably time-consuming feat, considering Sasha’s never-ending gluttony), the group settles into a familiar dynamic, making small talk and gossiping about old classmates.

“Fwey, fhid do fhear abow Fwan zan Annaz zplid? (Hey, did you hear about Franz and Hannah’s split?)” 

“Ugh. Swallow before you speak, you heathen.” Next to Connie, Jean clamps a tissue over the shorter man’s mouth, blatant disgust etched all over his face. 

Armin shoots Jean a grateful look, letting Connie chew the rest of his food before responding to him, “No idea. I guess you can never really know if a relationship will last, huh?”

“Well, I kinda called it,” Sasha injetercts, “I thought for sure they’d break up after high school or something. All Hannah ever talked about was Frank this and Frank that, it was so  _ boring _ how she managed to keep that up for years! I figured they’d break up after going to college, but then they went to the same one and somehow stayed together. It’s kind of admirable how far they got.”

“They’re divorced now. You guys remember Ruth? I heard from Mina that Frank’s been seeing her since Hannah got pregnant with their first. Hannah only found out ‘cos Ruth got knocked up too.”

Connie continues to chatter off, oblivious to the mortified expressions on Jean, Armin, and Sasha’s faces. Eren had been silent for a while, opting to focus on the half-finished french toast on his plate.

Without warning, Sasha stands up and shoves an entire bun from Armin’s plate (go figure she wouldn’t spare her own) into Connie’s face, effectively cutting him off.

“You haven’t eaten much today, Avatar, open up for the choo choo train!”

Connie tries to protest but finally catches Jean’s eyes in the corner of his vision, the latter signalling for him to just shut up and eat the bread.

Armin fumbles with his shirt sleeves, pulling them up and down in an attempt to appear casual.

“Er— hey! So, Eren, what’ve you been up to these days? The new job doing you any good?”

To everyone’s relief (and slight puzzlement), Eren didn’t seem affected by Connie’s story. He leans forward, beaming as if there weren’t just talking about the breakdown of someone else’s marriage.

“It’s not that new anymore, but yeah, it’s great. My coworkers are super nice and the pay is way better than my last job. The only downside is that I don’t get to see you guys much, the hours are pretty long.”

Jean recovers from his Connie-induced panic quickling, snorting, “Sure, if you count parties as work. I’ve lost count of how many drunk calls you’ve sent Marco while you’re at one of those ‘work’ functions. Stop telling him to ask me out, we’re  _ engaged _ you idiot. Take better care of yourself when we’re not around, jeez.”

“Awww is ittle wittle Jeanbo worried about Ewen? Don’t worry, I might not be an Alpha, but at least I’m not a lightweight like you.”

Jean’s face reddens at Eren’s words, arms raised and looking ready to throttle him as Armin struggles to hold him back, Eren jeering at him with his tongue childishly sticking out. On the other side, Connie tries (and fails) to keep Sasha from eating all of his dessert. 

It was nice, Eren muses, seeing such a familiar scene again. It reminded him of the simpler days, back when his biggest concern was getting into the varsity baseball team, or maybe passing a bitch-ass chemistry exam. A time before Reiner and the hypocritical drama that entailed.

Whoever said high school sucked clearly didn’t make real friends in them.

The outing ends with Jean, Sasha, and Connie leaving after a promise to catch up again soon. (Jean still needs wedding planning advice). Armin wanted to pick up some groceries and since Eren was headed in the same direction, they opted to spend some more time together.

Halting his cart at the end of the freezer section, Armin stops to look for his friend, eyes squinting in concentration as he scours past the numerous aisles.

“Did you get a cat?”

Eren almost drops the flour in his hand at Armin’s sudden appearance, his shoulders tensing in alarm.

“Armin! You scared me! Where’d you come from?”

“I was by the frozen pizzas. Hey, what are you getting the cat food for?”

This time, Eren doesn’t avoid the question. He reaches to fiddle with the watch for a bit—a new habit that doesn’t escape Armin’s notice. “It’s for a friend, I told her I’d be here so she asked me to pick up some stuff for her.”

Armin narrows his eyes at him. When did Eren find the chance to talk to his friend between the time the waffle house and now? The only time that Eren went on his phone (he’s not creepy for remembering ok, just observant) was when he had a call he supposedly needed to take outside. 

Armin’s shady-business radar was going nuts. Who even calls these days? (and who picks up??? Unless it’s from their mom) Whoever this friend is, they sure were important for Eren to make this exception.

HIs suspiciousness was probably unfounded and unreasonable. Eren was allowed to have friends and Armin doubted he had difficulty making them despite his... strong opinions on personal freedom. As long as he didn’t parade his nihilistic ideas around, Armin was quite sure that his childhood friend looked as normal and charming as any highly-functioning sociopath could get.

“... Right. Well, we should get going. Annie just told me she’d be home super late today, you wanna have a movie night?”

Eren shakes his head without meeting Armin’s eyes, “Not today, ‘Min. I told Reiner I’d be home after dropping my friend’s stuff off. Don’t let me stop you from enjoying yourself though, k?”

What was that gnawing feeling in his gut? Armin is confused. Everything he told him sounded innocent enough, but somehow, his BS senses were telling him that Eren was hiding something. But why?

Armin considers asking Eren, thinking back to all the times he’s tried to stage interventions. It was a bad idea in all honesty, Eren was terrible under confrontation and tended to pull dumb arguments in an attempt to piss his opponent off so much they pass out. Sadly enough, the tactic was an effective one. It was true that they say about not being able to win against stupid people.

“O...k… I’ll see you later, then. Don’t speed, Er.”

Eren rolls his eyes. “I’m not 16 anymore, mom. I’ll drive safe, bye Armin.”

After a goodbye hug and wave, Armin heads for the checkout while Eren stays behind to finish his shopping.

Not long after the blond left, a soft ‘ping’ vibrates from the depths of Eren’s pocket. He takes a glance at the contact ID, face softening a bit from its prior tension when he reads the name. Without texting back, Eren hits the option to call.

“Done with your shopping, I presume?” Not even 2 rings later, a gruff voice appeared on the other side of the call, its pitch a little different from what Eren was used to.

“I’m still finishing up, Armin left ahead of me. Are you feeling any better?”

“Hell no. I think I’m coming down with a temp. Think you can pick up some canned soup while you’re there?”

Eren frowns. That explains the hoarse voice. He glances at the gleaming silver watch on his wrist, noting down the time as he racks his head for an excuse to tell Reiner.

“Stay put and drink more water. I’ll be there in 20 max.”

The rustling of bedsheets could faintly be heard as the person on the other line fumbles around, sounding like they had something important to say. “Eren…”

“Yes?”

A slight pause follows after his swift reply. Eren was about to check if the call had been ended when he heard—

“Nothing. See you soon and don’t speed, you reckless brat.”

This was the second time in less than 10 minutes that he was told this. Instead of being irate, Eren feels the tell-tale tugging on his lips as he smiles. “No promises.”

“Tch. I’ll probably die of anxiety if the fever doesn’t get to me first.”

Eren’s chest warms at his words, but instead of reassuring him, he teases the other man further. “Don’t be so sure, Lee. The old age might be your killer.”

“Say that to face, I dare you. I’ll teach you younger doesn’t always mean stronger.”

Eren giggles, walking towards the vegetable section as he apologizes. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll do my best to not arrive in a bodybag. See you soon!”

Levi huffs and puffs on the other side but ultimately bids him goodbye too, ending the call. Eren quickly breezes through the rest of the groceries, taking the time to text Reiner a quick excuse as the cashier runs his items through.

“Sick family?” The older woman at the counter gestures at the thermometer in the bag.

“Yeah, he wanted to survive on canned soup if I let him. Alphas are strange creatures, aren’t they?”

The cashier laughs, her voice warm and genial despite her (in Eren’s opinion) nosy attitude. “My husband’s the same way. I hope yours makes a speedy recovery.”

Eren doesn’t bother correcting her, opting for a well-practiced smile as he thanks the other woman and pays for the shopping. The sweet and friendly mask slips off as soon as he steps into the car, eyes coolly staring into nothing as his phone buzzed with a message from his actual husband. Without reading it, he starts the engine, tucking a hair strand behind his ear as he backs out of the lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmm yeah i'm still alive. i'm running out of pre-written chapters and damn that's giving anxiety cos this means i have to start writing again soon :'(((


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter than usual, but heyyyy thanks for reading guys!

As soon as Eren enters the room, Levi narrows his eyes in suspicion, not at all trusting that he heeded his advice.

“Did you lurk at the door at the door for 10 minutes so I’d think you didn’t speed?”

Eren laughs, the sound bright, and chime-like. “I didn’t! You’re just salty I took longer than you expected. You really miss me that much, huh?”

Levi would be lying if he tries to deny it—his red face was evidence enough. Lucky for him, he also happens to be flushed from the fever, making for a relatively good excuse.

“Tch. I was worried that you ran some poor chap over. Can’t exactly come bail you out in this state now, can I?”

Eren grins as he approaches the bed, a cup of hot tea sitting on one hand. “Hah! So you do care! If you weren’t so sick and sweaty right now, I’d kiss you, old man.”

_ Boy _ , did he care. Levi bites his tongue before all his true sentiments could spill out. Not yet. They weren’t ready yet.

Eren takes his temperature while he sips the tea (“39 degrees!” he basically screeched into Levi’s ears). Eren announces that he was staying the night to take care of him. If Levi knew that this was all it took to receive this sort of special treatment, he would’ve sucked up his hatred of germs and gotten himself sick a long time ago.

He honestly didn’t feel all that bad… now that Eren was here. What difference did 2 degrees even make? Sure, Levi had been frozen stiff in his bed a few hours earlier, but after getting to drink hot tea and bask in Eren’s presence, he felt like it was worth it. Eren promised to make chicken soup for him too, so that was another bonus.

Levi settles into the pillows as Eren smoothes out his sheets, his familiar scent soothing him into much-needed rest. The last thing Levi remembers before blacking out are the deft fingers of Eren’s left hand as he wipes his forehead. In the finger where a wedding band should be, Levi faintly registers an indent in the shape of a ring as he reaches out to grab it.

How great would it be if he met Eren earlier? If Eren wasn’t married, and Levi wasn’t so slow to finally accept his own feelings? He wonders if Eren thinks the same, gently releasing his hand as the last bit of consciousness leaves him.

…

“Lee, the food’s ready.”

Groaning audibly, Levi reaches to feel his forehead as he sits up. How the fuck could a mere fever wreak havoc on his body like this? And not to mention, Levi was an alpha—his physique was built to triumph over shit like this. Maybe 2 degrees really  _ was _ something to fuss over.

“Here, drink some water. I’ll be back in a sec with the thermometer.”

Eren sets down a cup of warm water before leaving again. As soon as he gains a bit of lucidity, Levi notices the mouth-watering smell wafting from the bowl on his nightstand.

Thank  _ god _ for Eren’s superior cooking skills. He didn’t want to tell him in fear that Eren would worry, but Levi hadn’t eaten since the previous day due to his non-existent appetite. He downs the water quickly, pushing the cup aside and reaching for the soup as Eren enters the room again.

“Take the temp yourself, I’ll feed you.”

Levi looks at him blankly, feeling like a bratty child as he tries to protest, hands unwilling to let go of the spoon. 

“I can do it alone, it tastes better this way.”

“You’ll spill it all over the bed if I let you. It’s still hot right now, you can feed yourself when we’re half done.”

Dammit. Eren wasn’t going to back down and Levi was too tired to continue pushing. 

Fine then...

It was a strange feeling being coddled and spoon-fed, but surprising, Levi finds the experience rather pleasant. He wonders if his own mother ever did such a thing for him. He was too young when she died to remember much of anything, and Kenny sure as hell wouldn’t coddle children, not even the nephew he personally took in.

“Thanks for bringing me home last night.” Eren said, hands carefully tipping the spoon over as Levi drank from it. 

“It’s not a big deal, Petra did most of the work anyway. I just drove us around.”

“Can’t have been easy to convince her.” Eren’s eyes are apologetic as he stirs the bowl, his tone losing a bit of the usual snark.

“If you’re so sorry, how about you pay me back with your body?”

Levi smirks when Eren’s cat-like eyes begin to twitch. They were so foxy, honestly. As corny as it sounds, his eyes were actually the first thing Levi noticed when they first met. The swirling blue-green color was already eye-catching on its own, but the blazing fire within was what kept his attention. He’d felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity upon meeting that restless gaze. It was almost violent at times, the raw determination and conviction they carried in them.

“Don’t get cocky, you pervy old man. I’m supposed to help you rest, not kill you mid-coitus.”

“How are you so sure it’s not good for my recovery? Maybe you’re just scared you can’t keep up.”

Levi slides a hand over Eren’s honeyed thighs, marvelling at how smooth and taut the flesh there was.

_ Whack! _

Eren’s face flushed a warm hue as he pries Levi’s hand off, practically hissing, “It was one time! Who wouldn’t pass out after being that overstimulated!? Here—finish it yourself! I have to eat dinner too.”

The corners of Levi’s mouth curl at his embarrassment. He takes the bowl without a word of complaint, resisting the urge to smack Eren’s behind as he got up to leave.

Not bad, Levi thinks as he settles back into the pillows. It felt pretty nice to know that even if he couldn’t see Eren, he’d eventually come back to check on him soon. It would be even better if he could do this everyday, but Levi knew that that wasn’t going to happen unless a certain obstacle was eliminated.

Fuck, he blinks. That came off more aggressive than intended. Levi’s thug days were over, but because of his appearance, people always got the impression that he was still doing shady shit.

Let’s be clear, Levi hates Reiner for being in his way, not for existing. If he could just—step aside, Levi wouldn’t have to have these borderline homicidal thoughts. Reiner didn’t seem like he planned on leaving anytime soon, so Levi decides he’d have to amp up the suspicious activities to help him catch on.

After Reiner throws a hypocritical bitch fit about Eren’s betrayal, they were going to get divorced, and Eren was going to see that Levi was the one for him all along. They would get married, have—

_ “Meow.” _

A familiar ball of grey enters Levi’s field of vision from the doorway, interrupting his embarrassing fantasies. A furry tail sways as its chubby owner trots towards the bed, looking around with the confidence of a host.

“ _ No _ . Be a good girl, Reese.” Levi starts warningly when he sees the cat eye the empty bowl next to him. Judging by her sluggishness, it was safe to assume that Eren had already fed her. This could only mean that Reese wanted to sit in the bowl, a maneuver that would definitely cost someone an entire evening as they struggled to scrub the little fucker clean.

_ “Meow.” _

Reese ignores him, staring fixedly at the ceramic as if debating whether it’d be worth it to get her lazy ass up there. Just before Levi could get out of bed and subdue her, the door swings open once more to reveal a freshly showered Eren. 

Levi swallows, mildly aroused by the little droplets of water running down Eren’s smooth golden legs. The shirt he was wearing was actually one of his, but because of Eren’s slighter shoulders, the fabric exposed a good chunk of his delicate collarbones. If only Levi wasn’t so fucking sick right now—

“I’ll get your bath ready, are you feeling any better?”

Eren bends over, rummaging through his closet to look for a fresh change of nightwear. He’s also wearing a pair of Levi’s own boxers, forgoing any sort of pants over it and making the outline of supple ass even more obvious.

“... Kinda hot now that you’ve mentioned it.”

“What? Did I do something wro—”

Eren rushes over to check up on him in alarm, a worried look plastered in bjs eyes. But upon feeling his forehead and catching the smirk on his face, his expression turns into one of unreadability.

“I don’t think a bath is a good idea anymore. Maybe the water will just make you sicker, just lie here and let nature run its course.”

Levi immediately grimaces, grabbing Eren’s wrist before he could leave and vehemently apologizes. In the end, Eren gave in and still drew his bath for him, even staying close to help him wash his back.

Levi leans into the touch, relaxed and content. Perhaps because of the steam from the hot water, Eren’s face looks a little flushed.

So sultry and inviting, he thinks. Like a ripe fruit, a forbidden apple, promising the bite of his life, refreshing sweetness and incomparable satisfaction. All of a sudden, he wonders, a bit dejectedly—

“Do you do this often?”

The dexterous hand behind him suddenly pauses. Eren turns to face him, face looking confused as he regards him.

“No, never. You’re the only one.”

There was no way the tenderness in his eyes were faked. Levi believes him. Everyone else could say what they want about Eren, but he knows better.

He’s aware that some of the people in the office think Eren to be a tad… unfeeling. Despite his bright exterior and passionate opinions, Eren also has bouts of extreme detachment from his sentiments, capable of making quick decisions almost ruthlessly. But Levi knows, he knows that beneath that mask of apathy, a wounded heart was trying to hide the scars so that others wouldn’t have to worry. Eren would rather make choices that others couldn’t and have the people he loves hate him for it.

But Levi won’t be one of them. Even if the whole world turns on Eren, he will always be on his side—his last ally. Someday, Eren will come to understand this, and until then, all he has to do is play the part of a perfect lover, the only person that Eren will ever truly connect with.

He leans in to kiss Eren as the hand on his shoulder trails down his chest, passing his sculpted abdominals muscles and finally landing between his groins.

The warm glow of the bathroom light casts a soft shadow over their bodies as the water in the tub begins to swish and splash. Breathy sighs and shallow moans fill the room, the atmosphere overflowing with carnal desires and tender affections as the silhouettes behind the curtains meld into one.


	6. Chapter 6

This was the second night in a row that Reiner couldn’t sleep.

Frustrated, he flips over in the too-large-for-one-person bed to check his phone, eyes squinting to adjust to the light.

Still nothing.

Eren had promised to come home earlier that day, only to abruptly excuse himself to spend the night at Armin’s. His spontaneous change of plans wasn’t unusual, what was unusual was the fact that he had a new Alpha friend that Reiner wasn’t aware of.

Eren’s Omega friend was the one who helped him in, but Reiner could still sniff out an Alpha's scent on them that night. He didn’t think much of it then, afterall, Eren had never given him reason to doubt before.

Reiner sits up, carefully considering his train of thoughts. Was he paranoid? Maybe. But if there was nothing suspicious going on, then the things he now noticed were too fucking coincidental.

When Eren finally deigned to come home last night, Reiner took it upon himself to help him into bed since he was too drunk to do it on his own. Whatever joy and nostalgia he’d derived from their little bit of intimacy went hurling out the window when Eren muttered another man’s name in his sleep.

It felt like a sucker punch to the gut—the implication that the revelation held. Reiner wasn’t aware of a “Levi” from Eren’s usual circle, and he sure as hell hadn’t heard of this guy from work but... it would make sense if Eren knew him from work.

The timing of his new habits coincided too perfectly with his starting at the firm. Since then, Eren’s been finding all sorts of bland excuses to go out, sometimes disappearing for more than a day with just a text message to let Reiner know.

Truth to be told, it drove him nuts, but Reiner knew better than to pick a fight with Eren. He would turn it on him, accusing Reiner of projecting and reduce them both to tears. It was better for both of them if he refrains from accusing Eren without a basis, but the sudden influx of evidence was overwhelming Reiner.

The fancy watch was suspicious. His rekindled interest in solo morning jogs was suspicious. Even the drunken incident last night was suspicious and hell—he wouldn’t be surprised if that mysterious driver from then turned out to be an affair partner.

Reiner never imagined, never dared to believe, that the Eren who admired him, respected him, and even  _ loved _ him could go and do something like this. Was it just a tantrum born from resentment for what happened with him and Historia, or was she genuinely in love with this other man?

His unoccupied hand grips the sheets, trembling as Reiner considers—

Is this it, then?

Perhaps not long from now, Eren is going to muster up the resolve to walk away and disappear from his sight forever. Reiner shakes at the thought, realizing the state of his predicaments. 

Reiner has nothing left to offer him. Gabi was gone, so once he leaves, there’d be nothing left to tie them back together. The golden days of their youth were going to go up in smoke, leaving nothing but the charred embers of a distant memory.

Bile rushes to the back of his throat as Reiner scurries to the en suite bathroom. Eren couldn’t leave—no, there was no way. He promised back then, when Reiner’s mother finally succumbed to her emotional wounds and tried to attack him out of blind rage. They were in this together. Even if no one else was willing to stand by him, Eren would never turn his back on him. He was born into this world for a reason, and no crazy mother or deadbeat father was going to strip him of his worth. Eren promised him, he promised him, so where is he now? Why did he lie? Why is Reiner’s worth in the eyes of the person he loves most dependent on another man again? He hates Eren, despises him so much for lying, abandoning him, but Reiner hates himself more, so unworthy, undeserving of anyone’s affections, how could he fault Eren for being unable to stand him? Yes. It’s not Eren’s fault, but if it’s not Eren’s fault, then it’s his. Reiner finds himself unable to deal with the conclusion. Fine then. It’s not Eren’s, but Eren’s still to blame for giving him hope, he has to own up to it.

Coughing violently, Reiner slumps down on the floor as he clutches his chest. He pants, recomposing himself and steeling his metallic amber eyes. 

It wasn’t over yet. He and Eren were still married, so as long as he continues to fight, it’ll never be over for them. Eren wasn’t that heartless, as long as he makes an appeal, Reiner was sure that he would at least consider it.

A wave of calm and clarity splashes him as he rinses his face. Eren had always been especially accommodating to the people he loved, and by extension, the people who were close to them. Even if his feelings for Reiner had dimmed down, the shadow casted over his heart from Gabi’s death made it abundantly clear that his love for their child would never dissipate. 

This is all Reiner has left. This is his last war.

…

“Where have you been?”

The knob to the door clicks as Eren steps in, wearing a different set of clothes on his back from the previous day.

“You didn’t get my text? I was catching up with Armin.”   
  
“At his place?”

“Where else?”

Reiner purses his lips, crossing his arms as he struggles to keep his anger at Eren’s blatant lies in check.

“I waited for you there the whole morning, but your location showed that you were somewhere else. Tell me, is Armin a code name for whatever stud you’re sleeping with now?”

Eren’s face changes, full brows jumping into action as he glares in disbelief. “You were  _ tracking _ me?”

Crack!

Reiner barely registers the pain as the broken pieces of the TV remote pierce his palm, too lightheaded from the confirmation of his suspicions.

“...So you admit it.”

“Admit what!? I’m not admitting anything! You’re the one jumping to conclusions and tracking my fucking phone, you fucking psycho! I’m going upstairs, this conversation is ov—”

“I was bluffing. You called his name in your sleep.”

Eren’s face reddens in anger, obviously not expecting to be confronted with evidence.

“Whose name? It could just be a friend, stop projecting your actions onto me.”

Before Eren could disappear upstairs, Reiner grabs his wrist, head downcast as he asks, “Do you remember what you said to me that day?”

Unresigned to face him, Eren turns away as he continues to struggle.

“Back then, Gabi had just left, but then you found out about Falco. You said you were going to make me feel the worst pain imaginable. Is that what this is all about? Were you just trying to get back at—”

“Reiner.”

The older man looks ups, unable to stop the lone teardrop from cascading down his cheeks as he regards Eren’s stony, impassive face.

“I already forgot about that.”

_ What _ .   
  
“What?”

Eren sighs softly and calmly pries his grip off of him, the contrast from his previously aggressive motions catching Reiner off-guard.

“It’s... true I used to think like that, but things changed. We stopped spending time together, I stopped needing you, hating you for abandoning us first. When two people who once loved each grow apart, it’s natural to seek intimacy somewhere else. We’re the same, you and I.”

_ Once _ loved each other? What in the actual f—   
  
“Eren!”

Panicked and desperate, Reiner claws at his legs, determined to not let him leave until he could finish explaining himself.   
  
“It wasn’t like that at all! I didn’t lie, me and Historia, it’s just an accident! I was wrong, Eren, I’m sorry! I’m sorry I let you down, let Gabi down, I don’t deserve you—

“Good on you for realizing that.”

“No—Eren, please, hear me out! We can move past this, I can look past  _ him _ so you can focus on us! We can be a family again, don’t you still want your own chi—”

_ Thud! _

Eren looks down at him from the steps, outstretched arms shaking as his wild viridian eyes begin to brim with unshed tears.

“You have no  _ right _ to ask that of me, you fucking bastard! Whose fault is it that we’re like this? Did you think I didn’t know about how you tried to get with  _ her _ before settling for me? Am I such a fucking moron to you? I bet you only stopped looking at her after having a little taste, was it worth it? Was it worth letting your daughter die crying for her father in her final moments!? Did you really think you could wet your dick anywhere and not shoulder the consequences!?”

At the bottom of the stairs, Reiner makes no noise as his shoulders tremble violently, elbows bruised from the impact of his fall. 

Without another word, Eren dives back down to reach the door, slamming it hard on his way out. On one side of the wall, a framed picture swings unstably for a second, only to finally fall to the ground, shattering the glass encasing it.

Reiner crawls to mess, picking up the broken shards and cradling it. 

The picture was an old favorite of his, taken at the beach in the final year of their college days. In the picture, Eren had both arms clasped around Reiner’s neck as he leans up to kiss him, face blushing sweetly in the process. Similarly, Reiner looks flushed with joy as one arm encircles his waist protectively, the other clutching a key necklace dripping with seawater.

In his carelessness, Eren had lost his father’s memento in the ocean during a swim. He’d tearfully complained to him about it, expecting Reiner to reassure him that there were other ways to remember Dr. Jaeger by. Unexpectedly, the older man was able to recover the keepsake after a good 10 minutes of searching, impressing his then-boyfriend and earning a sweet little reward in the aftermath.

It was bittersweet how good things always came to an end. Those days were long gone, but Eren was never going to look at him with those bright eyes gleaming with love and admiration again. 

Clutching the glass, Reiner wordlessly heads towards the bathroom, his steps as mechanical and soulless as his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhhhh did yall know this this started out as a crack fic? I keep inserting references to season 4 in the story cos it was supposed funny but im not capable of humor. I'm resorting to angst so let's see how this plays out.


	7. Chapter 7

“Hitch, stop checking Tinder at work.”

Groaning irritably, Hitch Dreyse slams her phone shut before rolling her eyes at Marlowe.

On a Monday morning at Flugel der Freiheit, the lobby is swarmed with busy employees and staff members scurrying around to make it in time for work. Behind the main desk at the reception, a blond woman lazily flicks the nose of a much taller brunet male.

“You know, if you’re really that jealous, why don’t you just ask me out yourself?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I don’t have time to idle around like you.”   
  
“It’s  _ not _ idling around, you old prude!”

“Hush! Mr. Dok is walking here!”   
  
Hitching their breaths, the bickering pair tense up as their boss makes his way in through the main door, passing the reception and finally, stepping into the elevator.

Sighing in relief, Hitch flips her hair before reaching for her phone again, ignoring Marlowe’s disapproving face to focus on her screen.

“Thank gods he didn’t come over, I’m  _ so _ not in the mood to deal with tight-ass higher ups today.”

“You’re never in the mood to deal with higher ups.”

“Hm, fair enough. Say, you wanna know a little story I heard about the people upstairs?”

“Hitch, gossip is rude and—”

“It’s about that Eren Jaeger.”

A pause. Well that got his attention, Hitch smirks. If Marlowe were a normal guy, she’d be suspicious (and mildly upset—but only because she cares about him and Eren was a bad influence!) at his interest in their new bombshell of a coworker. But this was Marlowe, and the only reason why he was so drawn to Eren from Mr. Ackerman’s office was because of his equally, if not stronger opinions that only idealistic fools like Marlowe would agree with.

“Well… It’s not like you’re the one starting it up, right?”   
  


Marlowe looks unsure, guilty. Hitch ignores his apprehension and continues on enthusiastically.

“Mmh sure. So I heard from Flock, you know Flock right? He went to college with Eren and his  _ husband _ .”

As expected, Marlowe’s eyes widened, looking every bit as surprised as Hitch was when she heard the little detail.   
  
“Wow. I didn’t know he was married.”

  
“Me neither, but Flock said that they’d been distant for years anyways. They got married young so I guess the marriage problems also started early, maybe that’s why we never heard about a husband. But yeah, Flock told me that about a month ago, Eren’s husband got rushed to the hospital in the middle of night. After he got discharged, they started getting chummy again.”

Marlowe doesn’t respond immediately, looking uncharacteristically pensive as he processes the information.

“Say... Do you think that’s why he transferred out of Mr. Ackerman’s office?”

Hitch’s eyes flash with delight, pleased that Marlowe was able to come to a juicy conclusion without her having to shove it in his face this time. He’s starting to get the hang of this.

“Who knows? I haven’t seen them come into work together for a while now, and everytime I spot Mr. Ackerman, he looks like he wants to commit mass murder.”

“But he  _ always _ looks like he wants to commit mass murder.”

“Ugh, that’s true. But he looks especially homicidal these days, I frickin’ knew there was something going on between them, I just didn’t expect that the details would be so juicy.”

“What!? Hitch, you can’t just assume something like that just based on how well they get along! You think too little of Eren.”

“Take off your rose tinted-glasses, Bowlcut. Think about it, they’re always attached to the hip even outside of work and Mr. Ackerman becomes less of a man-bitch around him. And don’t tell me it’s because Eren’s his assistant! When you put an Alpha in his prime next to a smokin’ Omega assistant, don’t expect 0 sexual chemistry.”

Marlowe squints at her, still looking skeptical, “I don’t know Hitch…”

“You don’t have to agree with me. I’m just telling you what I know, Mushroom Man.”

“Then—” Said Mushroom Man pauses, looking like it physically hurt him to abandon his ‘integrity’ and participate in scandalous gossip. “Do you think Mr. Ackerman has anything to do with Eren’s husband’s hospital visit?”

  
“That’s what I thought too, but no, Flock said he heard from a more intimate source that it’s…” Hitch’s lips graze the loose strands near Marlowe’s ears as she shifts closer. “A suicide attempt.”

Marlowe’s eyes couldn’t possibly bulge any further, causing them to look like they might just pop out of his sockets.”

“He’s sure about this?”

“He said the source is reliable.”

“Shit.”

Shit indeed, Hitch thinks. In front of her, Marlowe looks deep in thought as he stares fixedly at the countertop, probably reevaluating his perception of some acquaintances.

On the other side, Hitch did her own musings. Her impression of Eren wasn’t that strong, afterall, they’d never even talked. She just knew him as one of the pretty personal assistants who might or might not be sleeping with a higher up. Call her judgemental or whatever, but the way Eren’s been strutting his himbo ass around Mr. Ackerman made her sus senses flare up. And of all people too—Hitch stands by the statement that the man could pass for some sort of crime lord. Sure, Mr. Ackerman was good-looking, but it was more like in a sinister, serial-killer kind of way. 

Wack as Eren’s preferences might be, Hitch had thought that he was a nice enough person. She didn’t think that someone like Eren would wind up having a husband back home, let alone marital problems leading to an affair. Maybe her high(decent?) expectations for Eren came from how highly Marlowe thought of him, but Hitch thought she learned long ago to not trust that dumbwad Beta’s judgment.

She sighs, mumbling a huffy “whatever” to no one in particular. Eren’s personal business was none of her concern, but it was fun to know at least. Hitch swears, if gossip had a goddamn spawn base, it would have to be corporate offices. It was one of the reasons why she even got herself a job here, hoping that the idle chitter chatter would be enough to retain her sanity while she “worked”.

Marlowe says something to her face while she scrolls through her Instagram feed, probably a goodbye. She waves in response without listening, causing him to scowl and click his tongue in frustration. Nevertheless, Hitch still spies him waving back from the corner of her eyes, albeit a bit reluctantly.

It didn’t take long for her to stop using her phone after he left. Slacking off was no fun if she couldn’t even piss Marlowe off. Hitch figures she might as well get as much work done as possible before he comes back (so she could slack off again without her performance suffering enough to get her fired).

The hours fly by monotonously, tormenting Hitch as she counts down the minutes to lunch. Just when her break was finally here, a shadow looms over her as its owner’s unfamiliar face glances down.

Woah. Were they hiring eye candy again?

The man in front of her looked like he came straight out of a 60’s Audrey Hepburn movie with his cropped, fair blond hair and chiselled facial features. He was also really tall, with wide shoulders and bulging arms peeking out of his short-sleeved olive tee.

Hitch did her best to outwardly fawn over the new guest, offering him what she hoped was a professional-enough smile, “How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Eren Jaeger. I’m his husband, Reiner.”

SHIT.

THIS was Eren’s  _ HUSBAND _ ?

The gears in Hitch’s head came to a stop, not offering her much help as she struggled to form the right words.

“Y-Yes. She should be on the 9th floor, would you like me to call her down?”

“No need, I’ll go up to him. I’m bringing him lunch today.”

Smiling, Reiner lifts his (damn those are some yummy-looking) arms up, a neatly packed lunchbox on either side. 

Shaking in her spot, Hitch tries to maintain a straight face when she remembers—Ah, Mr. Ackerman also works on the 9th floor. Did Reiner even know about Mr. Ackerman? Was he actively  _ trying _ to make a scene at Eren’s workplace!?

After promptly assessing the potential destruction that her pending actions were bound to cause, Hitch decides, fuck it. It wasn’t her fault Eren decided to mess around with Mr. Mafioso while married to Apollo over here. Hitch’s job was to let Reiner in, and let him in she will.

After making sure that someone else was manning the front desk, Hitch leads the way up for Mr. Jaeger (Is that his last name? That was what Eren went by...). The ride up was a relatively quick one, not making much room for small talk to take place, not that Hitch was complaining. She’d usually jump at the opportunity to talk to a hot guy, but this one happened to be married and according to the rumours, emotionally unstable.

_ Ding! _   
  
Not even 5 steps after leaving the elevator, they meet the very protagonist of the recent rumours himself, Eren Jaeger.

“Eren!”

Eren looks surprised to see them—or maybe just Reiner. His eyes dart to the packages on Reiner’s hands, blinking a bit as he seems to come to a conclusion.

“I brought you lunch.”

Hitch watches as the deep lines between Eren’s husbands brows relax and settle. His visible happiness at simply seeing his own wife only served to reinforce Hitch’s suspicions that the latter was the sole culprit behind their shaky marriage.

In front of them, Eren snaps out of his daze and moves to help Reiner with the boxes, smiling at him flawlessly.

“You didn’t have to, I was just teasing you.”   
  


Reiner takes the opportunity to clasp his newly freed hand with Eren’s, beaming with joy as he responds, “I wanted to see where you work anyway, you hungry yet?”

Ugh. Did she accidentally wear camo print today? Hitch feels like wallpaper, unimportant and unworthy of attention. 

As if hearing her thoughts, Eren pokes his head past Reiner’s girthy arm and gives her a smile too, nodding curtly in thanks for bringing his husband up. Anxious to remove herself from the scene, Hitch simply nods back politely before dashing back into the elevator, fearful that she’d run into a certain stone-faced higher up. Fortunately for her, no such thing happened, and so Hitch was able to dodge yet another incident of her being an unwilling witness.

Drama was fun to hear about, but it sure as heck was awkward to see in person and God forbid, accidentally get dragged into. Hitch was an avid gossiper, and as a gossiper, she made it her job to hear the exaggerated accounts of an event from another person, not actually suffer the second-hand embarrassment of being there. The real thing is never as never as juicy or scandalous as the twisted words of an outsider, and Hitch  _ revels _ in eating up badly-retold details of a true story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really bad at replying to comments cos I suck at socializing irl, but I just wanna let u guys know that I really appreciate it when you share your thoughts :')) It makes me happy even if my dry ass responses might make u feel otherwise


	8. Chapter 8

Today was not Sasha’s day.

On top of being reprimanded for taking too long with Mr. Ackerman’s tea this morning (there were free donuts on the counter… she figured she’d eat the ones she couldn’t carry back), Sasha was now dealing with an irate boss who kept nitpicking the state of her desk.

She’s only had the job for a few weeks now—under the recommendation of her friend (and Mr. Ackerman’s old assistant), Eren. Sasha was a good enough assistant when she wasn’t busy stuffing her face, but with a boss like Mr. Ackerman, good enough wasn’t good enough.

“What in  _ hell _ is that monstrosity? Put it away, I never want to see any more potato decor in this office ever again. And tidy up that nest will you, Braus? You’re setting us up for a rat infestation.”

Sasha stiffles a groan. Gods, if it weren’t for the sizable paycheck that the job entailed, she swears she’d have long ditched. How did Eren put up with this guy for over a year? To think, he used to be a suicidal blockhead with no respect for authority...

“I’m sorry sir, I’ll get started. Can I get you another refill or—?”

Mr. Ackerman glowers at her, and Sasha feels her breath hitch. Despite his height, she still feels like a wee ant in his presence, scrambling and begging for mercy to not be crushed by the sheer weight of his wrath.

“If I wanted tea, I’d have  _ asked _ for tea. Stop stalling and clear that mess up.”

“Understood, sir.”

Jeez, what’s with that stick up his ass? The man seemed even more short-tempered than usual, if such a thing was possible. Sasha does her best not to look up and get distracted by her boss’s harsh scribbling, the sound of his pen making an aggressive, scratching noise as he practically slashes into the paper.

Sasha turns her face away to yawn, looking just in time to see her phone buzz with a notification from her boyfriend.

_ Nic: We’re having curry today :P _

Smiling, Sasha moves to glance fondly at the photo of Niccolo on the desk. She thanks the heavens everyday that such an angel was in her life. It made the job a lot more bearable, knowing that she had warm food and an equally warm (and delicious) lover to come home to. Maybe it’d do Mr. Ackerman some good if he could find himself either one of the two.

After texting a quick response, Sasha goes back to attempting to meet her boss’s impossible standards. The day goes by too slowly for her liking, but eventually, Mr. Ackerman gives her the green light to clock out. She doesn’t waste a single second after his signal, eagerly packing up to get home to her Omega and his divine cooking.

Sasha was just about to dash away when the rustling noise on the side of the room caught her attention, making her perk up. 

Strange.

Her boss was packing. Levi Ackerman, renowned workaholic, was packing up and (presumably) leaving on time. Sasha checks her watch to make sure the time was right, only to be dazed when she realizes that indeed, Mr. Ackerman was leaving work and joining the rest of civilized society today.

_ Maybe he got himself a Niccolo too _ , Sasha speculates. She snaps out of it rather quickly afterwards, straightening up as she decides, it’s really none of her business.

“See you tomorrow, Mr. Ackerman.”

“Mmh.”

Welp. That’s as good a reply as she could get. Sasha doesn’t take his coldness to heart, she maintains a polite expression as she heads for the door, footsteps light and careful.

Despite her mobster-like boss, everyone else at the firm was very genial and easy to get along. Sasha grins and returns the greetings and goodbyes of all the familiar faces she passes by, her mood light and relaxed. But just before exiting the elevator, Sasha realizes with a curse—

Her phone wasn’t in her bag.

Groaning, she stays behind as everyone else leaves the box, eager to put an end to their Monday miseries. The trip back to the office wasn’t a long one, but Sasha still ended up wasting time turning her desk upside down to find her phone (Mr. Ackerman was going to have her head for sure). Just as she was about to give up, she suddenly remembers the bathroom break she took earlier that day.

_ Ugh _ and all that effort she’d already put into searching this room.

Sasha dashes to the stall she remembers putting the phone in and breathes out a sigh of relief upon finding it still sitting there, untouched. 

She returns to the office to tidy up a bit, in hopes that her attempt at diligence would soften the scale of the lecture she was sure to endure the next day. When she was finally done, Sasha was dismayed to find that almost 20 minutes had passed despite her frantic scurrying. 

Shutting the door softly, she checks her purse to make sure that nothing was forgotten again when the familiar voices at the end of the corridor reached her ears.

“—Why”

“—Didn’t ask him— Let go!”

Sasha couldn’t make out the exact lines being thrown out, but curiosity got the best of her when she realized that she recognized both of these voices. Before she knew it, her feet had taken her closer to the source of the conversation— or maybe it was an argument.

“I told you this is over. I’m sorry if I led you on but we’ve established this weeks ago—”

“ _ You _ established this weeks ago. You didn’t even give a proper explanation. Is he threatening you? What good reason do you have to cut me off when — “

“I don’t  _ need _ a good reason to end something like this.”

“Funny you should say that. I don’t need a good reason to continue trying either.”

“ _ Levi _ ! We agreed that this leads nowhere — ”

“Your actions clearly said otherwise, stop lying through your goddamn teeth, Eren.”

Sasha blinks in realization. 

Ah. So that’s why the voices seem familiar, she dully notes. She’s not sure what her friend and boss were being so hush-hush about, but the secretive way they were bantering in made her feel like it would be a dumb move to reveal herself. What were they even talking about? 

As far as Sasha knows, Eren and Mr. Ackerman didn’t keep in touch after the former’s transfer, so what were they talking about? Could it be that she was doing such a shit job that Mr. Ackerman was now propositioning Eren to come back? What a strange way to ask peop—

“ _ Please _ don’t make this any harder for either of us. It’s not worth it to go after a short-lived fling when you’ve still got everything going for you.”   
  
“Is that what this was to you then? A measly little fling? I don’t believe it, you’re not telling me something.”

“It’s none of your business what I do anymore. I have to get—”

CRACK!

Sasha feels herself convulse as her phone hits the floor. Judging by the sound, the impact must’ve shattered the screen but more importantly, alerted Eren and Mr. Ackerman of her presence.

Before she could make a quick getaway, two sets of shoes appeared from the corner of the corridor, their owners looking unspeakably glum when they saw that it was Sasha. Eren’s face, in particular, crumbled when their eyes met.

“Er… Hi… I was just… coming to get my ph- phone!”

“Sasha, wait!” Eren’s voice shakes uncharacteristically when he tries to stop her, only to be ignored when Sasha insisted,

“I-It’s ok, let’s just pretend I was never even here!”

Without letting him explain, Sasha makes a beeline for the exit, terrified of the possibility that Mr. Ackerman would try to bring her back to ‘silence’ her.

What in tarnation was that? Was Eren… cheating on Reiner? But based on the talk just now, it seemed to be a thing of the past. But then why were they meeting again? Why the heck did Eren push her to take this job when he had secrets just lying around to be exposed here!?

Should she… tell anyone? 

Sasha grimaces; she absolutely abhorred moral dilemmas. Those were more of Jean’s things. For a guy that apparently wanted to live the easy life, he sure was concerned about not betraying his conscience.

But there’s no point in telling anyone, right? Sasha’s bet was on Reiner already knowing; it would explain why Mr. Ackerman was talking like he and Eren were broken up. Besides, Reiner wasn’t even really her friend. Jean and Connie used to be chummy with him, but they’d gradually distanced themselves after the Gabi and then Falco incidents. 

It’s… probably better to let Eren figure this mess out on his own. Eren might be an Omega, but he was tougher than most Betas and even Alphas that Sasha knew. She’s seen how he pulled himself together after being there with him at his lowest. As his friend, she should know when to intervene and when to fall back and wait for a call for support. Eren wasn’t going to learn from his mistakes if people keep trying to stop him from making them (trust that Armin’s tried, many, many times).

Flipping the phone on its back, Sasha lets out a sigh of relief after assessing the damage. Only the screen protector was screwed, the screen itself should be fine. She increases her pace to get to her ride home, promptly forgetting about the day’s events when she thought about the curry and boyfriend that were going to greet her upon her arrival home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah shit i feel bad... this is an exceptionally short chapter (i don't plan fam... so some of my chapters might have 3k words while others will be like, what, 1.5k?) It's also 3am and I can't read very well anymore. I'll try to put out another chapter this week if possible but i can't guarantee anything~ Have a nice day guys ^.^


	9. Chapter 9

Levi was a fucking mess.

The keys from his hand land on the nearby table with a sharp clang. Kicking off his shoes, Levi suppresses a scream of frustration as he slams down on the couch.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had a properly made meal. Most of his days were spent either reminiscing or throwing a tantrum — but at least the latter gave him something to distract himself with. If there was a mess, it could occupy his obsessive cleaning tendences for hours on end and keep his mind off Eren.

Well, mostly. 

Eren was still ignoring him.

Levi had tried everything. He’s given Eren time to cool his head, coaxed him to come back with saccharine promises, hell, he’d even offered to settle this in a brawl with Eren’s husband (old habits die hard, yeah?). No matter what method he used, Eren wouldn’t budge — but then again, neither would Levi.

People around him were driving him insane with their poor attempts to help him move on. Did those fuckwads think he hasn’t tried? Levi still remembers getting back into the bachelor scene in a fit of drunken depression, only to physically blanch after having a whiff of the rebound experience.

It was awful really, being wrong and having to endure Petra and Four Eyes’ silent but all-too-loud “I told you so” looks. Only Eyebrows seemed to function as usual around him, convinced that everything was going to settle eventually.

It honestly shouldn’t even be too hard, seeing how Eren avoids him like the fucking plague. He transferred out months earlier, not leaving Levi much legroom to protest with the decision. Life still went on, and even though his new assistant’s organization skills weren’t anywhere near Eren’s, she did her job well enough to not force Levi into developing a premature stroke.

With all developments considered, it should’ve been fine. He thought he’d get over Eren if he saw less of him, but that’s just it. All it takes for Levi to come back to pining over him again was that one little glance.

He’s come to terms with the fact that he’ll never get over Eren completely; what he  _ hasn’t _ made peace with is the knowledge that someone else will get to keep on holding  _ his _ Omega the way he no longer could.

Yeah, it still makes his blood boil when he recalls how that blond oaf pranced around  _ his _ workplace. Sure, it was Eren’s workplace too, but this floor was supposed to be a safe no-bitch zone. Eren couldn’t see Levi peeking at them through the glass plane, but the latter could make out all of Eren’s interactions from where he hid—or stood!. That big-ass tree of Alpha was way too handsy with Eren when they were in public—it was so disgusting and shameless.

His day was going badly enough because of that little incident, but to top it off, his new assistant accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) walked in on them during an incriminating exchange. As if that was what he needed after such a shitty day, another person judging his (admittedly) poor life choices.

But at least she had the sense to act like it never happened. Despite her tone-deafness and inability to ignore her stomach, Braus sure was sensible where it mattered. She never asked about what she saw that day and Levi never brought it up, bringing the incident to a quiet conclusion.

Back in his loft, Levi heads towards the fridge, scouring for anything edible and scowling when his efforts amount to nothing. The nearby convenience store was probably not too crowded at this time; he figures he might as well grab one of the nasty instant shit they were always stocked with.

If Eren were still around, he’d probably get on his ass for “not watching his old-man intestines”.

Levi clenches his fist, the veins bulging out as he exerts more force. He couldn’t go a few minutes without thinking of Eren, could he? But did Eren ever think of him at all? At this point, he fucking thinks not.

Snapping out of his angst, Levi turns around to get ready. He quickly swaps his stuffy pressed suit for something more comfortable. After shrugging a cotton tee on, he checks his phone out of pure habit. As usual, it was just Shitty Glasses sending him random memes from the Dark Ages or some shit. Call Levi a boomer or whatever, but even  _ he _ ’s seen these so-called funny pictures months before (Eren might have something to do with that…).

He pours out some cat food for Reese before grabbing his keys again. Just a precaution in case the lazy fuck deigns to wake up while he’s gone.

The sun had already begun to set by the time he stepped out. It took a good ten minutes’ walk to get to the store, which wasn’t much, but Levi was still annoyed he had to go out for food when all he wanted to do was get shit-faced drunk again. Unfortunately, he still had work tomorrow so it wasn’t like a killer headache was on the table.

Quickly grabbing his dinner and a bag of Reese’s usual cat food, Levi prepares to make a beeline for the counter when he notices something in the corner of his eye. 

At the edge of the liquor aisle, a dark-haired figure squats dazedly while clutching a bottle of brandy. The person looked unspeakably lonely and lost, easily catching the attention of passersby.

Levi furrows his brows in recognition. His hair was longer than what Levi was used to, but the person in front of him was surely Eren. 

Eren’s place wasn’t far from here, but there were other convenience stores that were much closer to him. Why did he take the trouble to come all the way here? 

Levi’s vision trails to his unnecessarily tight grip on the bottle. Whatever the reason was, it couldn’t be small if it could get Eren this worked up.

Once again, Levi finds himself contemplating whether to approach his ex-lover. Eren looked like he could use some comforting, but after a brief moment, Levi shakes the idea off. Eren made it crystal clear that he was dedicated to fixing his marriage now. If Levi ever loved him at all, he’d root for his success and leave him alone, Eren told him.

  
Levi suppresses the uncomfortable feeling in his gut and turns around to leave, only to freeze when he hears a familiar voice exclaim, “Wait!”   
  


From the corner of his eyes, Eren shoots up so quickly he almost drops the bottle. Levi realizes that his eyes were puffy and bloodshot, rendering him incapable of suppressing an unsightly expression.

“Did you have a fight?”

“...”

Levi’s anger spikes at his silence. Eren had clearly been crying again, so what did that motherfucker do now? Why was he still protecting that useless Alpha when all he did was bring him pain?

“I can see your tear streaks, you know.”

“It’s nothing of the sort. I’m just dealing with some personal issues.”

“Personal issues like your marriage?”

Eren looks at him blankly but doesn’t protest. He puts the brandy back on the shelf, clenching his fists before timidly approaching him. Levi doesn’t move. He lets Eren get closer, close enough for him to shakily pinch the edge of his shirt.

“Can I come back with you?”

What?

“What?”

The hand on his sleeve stiffens, like Eren wasn’t expecting such a response. His big green eyes dull with dejection, looking completely resigned. Levi hates how affected he is by this Omega’s distress, but even so, he can’t help acquiescing. 

“Sorry for asking, I’ll leave you to your—”   
  


“Here.”

Levi holds out his hand in a manner that says ‘take it’. Eren looks at him with unmasked surprise, then tears up emotionally before grabbing his hand without the slightest hesitation. 

They leave the store promptly after, fingers clasped together like they’d never been separated in the first place. 

Petra would probably have a stroke hearing about how he fell into “old habits” again, but the next thing Levi knew, he and Eren were lying bare on his couch without even a sheet covering their quivering post-orgasm forms.

They stayed like that for a while, wordless but clutching each other tightly. Levi strokes his hair familiarly, intrigued by the new length while Eren rubbed circles on the expanse of his back. 

“Are you not gonna ask me why I’m here?”

“Figured you’d do that on your own anyway. Why are you here?”

Eren glares at him and pinches his waist, earning a choked chuckle from the Alpha next to him. He props her head on his palm, staring down into Levi’s eyes with a lost look on his face.

“My pregnancy test came out positive.”

Hm. Alright. 

_ Not _ .

“What!?” The faint smile on Levi’s face slipped off as he suddenly shot up, disregarding the body on top of his in his distress.

It’s been way too long since they last slept together, the chances of him being Eren’s baby’s father could easily be ruled out. The little spark of hope in his heart was crushed not even hours after being ignited. He felt used—betrayed, replaceable. But he did this to himself, didn’t he? Knowingly coveting someone else’s wife, arrogantly thinking there was nothing he couldn’t have if he tried hard enough.

And what was this then? Once last goodbye fuck before he goes back to playing happy perfect family again? Eren was really too cruel—

“It’s a false positive. I’m thinking of serving the papers up now.”

Is he hallucinating? Did the polarity from Eren’s earlier statement distress him so much his brain is coming up with ways to prevent him from spiralling into madness? But judging by his shaking hands and suddenly acute senses, what he just heard was real.

“Are you serious?”

Levi hopes for his pride’s sake that he doesn’t look as agonized as he feels. If Eren was joking, then fuck his faith (or whatever’s left of it) in humanity. He’s going to leave town, swear off attachments, and change his name to Yamamoto or some shit to become a hermit on some mountain far, far away from wretched society. 

“Dead. Thinking I got pregnant made me realize a lot of things. For one, I don’t actually want to make this marriage work anymore.” Eren’s eyes look tired, completely void of hope as he scoots closer, “I don’t want to have anymore of his children either. I don’t want to give him another chance to hurt and disappoint us ever again.”

_ Oh _ . Well, someone needs a butt load of therapy, but Levi slyly pushes the idea of bringing the suggestion up later. It wouldn’t do to rush right now; after all, what if it somehow revives Eren’s hope in Reiner? Eren could get all the help he needs after they ditch that bitch-ass tree and settle down like he planned.

“Does he know?”

“About me leaving?”

“That it’s a false positive.”

Eren has the decency to look a bit guilty, hesitant even, as he says, “No. I had a bad fall a few days ago ‘cos of his mess. He thinks he caused a miscarriage.”

Well, damn that was kind of fucked up, letting an (as much as Levi hates to acknowledge it) innocent party believe that they caused the loss of a child. Scratch that, it was all sorts of fucked up, but then again, what did Levi care?

He turns his gaze onto Eren, pressing their foreheads together as he asks—

“How… are you holding up now?”

“I’ve better days. I feel loads better having you here with me again though.”

Levi’s chest warms with the sentiment. So Eren  _ did _ reciprocate. He feels like a weight he’d been carrying unknowingly had just been lifted off his shoulders. But even so, he wonders,

“Why did you leave me then?”

Shit, that came off more vulnerable than intended, but Levi has to know. Eren looks like he’s been prepared for this question, not a single thread of a surprise present on his face. He stares into Levi’s eyes, looking somewhat regretful as his warm fingers stroke his cheek.

“I thought you were better off not being strung along.”

“I came into this knowingly.”

“But it’s not fair to you. I have to balance my life and an unstable husband, adding you to the mix—”

Wait.  _ Unstable? _

Levi recounts the events leading up to their breakup, an unsettling feeling growing over his head. Eren had come to him one rainy afternoon, soaked to bone as he sobbed into his shoulders. He’d had a particularly nasty spat with his husband that day, one that made him seriously consider divorce. Levi never understood why he never went through with one despite being so obviously uninvested in reconciliation, but he’d been secretly ecstatic back then.

He was close, Levi thought, so close to obtaining the long-coveted object of his affections without the nasty little reminder that he was someone else’s. Eren came to him for comfort that day, wasn’t that a sure signal that something big was sure to happen? All he needed was a little nudge in the right direction, so why did everything go to shit in the end? The morning after, Eren left his place and never called back. Levi didn’t hear from him again until almost a week later.

And what did Eren tell him then?

With a frigid look, he told him that this—whatever  _ this _ is, was over. He’d gotten back with Reiner, and Levi ought to move on. He didn’t take it well, of course, accusing Eren of playing a sick joke or being inebriated. It was so sudden, so unwarranted, or maybe Levi just was too far in to notice the signs.

  
But what Eren is telling him now, doesn’t this confirm that Levi was right about their parting being involuntary on both sides? If it wasn’t because he was the one who wanted to leave—

“Did he use himself to threaten you?”

“...”

Eren’s silence speaks volumes for the case that Levi has drawn up.

“I’ve enabled him too much. It’s partly my fault too—”

Levi props himself up sharply, startling his Omega in the process. His steely gunmetal eyes hardened with rage and violent intent, looking like he wanted to march over and finish what Reiner had probably started himself.

“Pathetic excuse of a bastard! Doesn’t he still have a kid to look after? Fucking piece of shit screws everything over like he’s got a fucking bucketlist for—”

“ _ Levi _ .”

Eren encircles his tanned, slim arms around his shoulders. He flips Levi over, straddling his waist and crouching down to nibble his ear. The soft silky strands of his hair tickle Levi’s chest—and to his shame arouse a reaction in his nether regions.

“Forget about him. I don’t wanna talk about him anymore.”

Levi wants to say he wasn’t so weak-willed as to be easily distracted from his rage fest by the soft, perky mounds pressing against his crotch, but he was still a hot-blooded Alpha. Eren’s hands trail up to his neck and then his jaw, his lips whispering—

“When it’s all over, let’s start dating for real.”

_ Well. _ That ought to shut Hanji and Petra up. Levi lets go of his stony facade in favor of grabbing onto Eren’s bare mounds, kneading and rubbing as sharp gasps and low grunts fill the room once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've got midterms and a fuck ton of assignments to half-ass int he coming week ;') im so sorry i have to do this to yall but a new chap is probably not gonna come for another while TvT


	10. Chapter 10

“He hasn’t picked up in almost a week, Bert. A  _ week. _ Who knows what he’s doing now, or who he’s doing it with. I don’t know how to convince him…”

Bertolt sighs, painfully aware that Reiner wasn’t even paying attention to his lack of interest. For a couple of weeks now, his friend had been calling him almost daily to rave on and on about his marital problems and in Bert’s opinion, impending divorce.

It was really bad this time. Bertolt knows that they’d only rekindled their relationship for a few months when Eren got pregnant again. Not long after, an accident on Reiner’s part caused him to lose the baby, resulting in another falling out.

Everyone around them could see it clear as day that Eren was done with his friend, but Reiner was still insisting on ignoring the signs that everything around them was pointing too. Bertolt had tried explaining to him that the end of his marriage didn’t equate the end of the world, but Reiner wouldn’t have any of it. Bertolt was close,  _ this _ close to snapping, and yet, because of his decades-old affection for his friend, he decided to endure. On one hand, he was frustrated in his oldest friend’s foolish and futile denial of the inevitable. But on the other, he was sympathetic to the heavy plight that Reiner had found himself in.

Sure, he wasn’t perfect, but neither was Eren. Reiner had already told him about “Levi”, and based on what Bertolt had bothered to hear from his friend, he wouldn’t be surprised if Eren was still seeing the other man. He knows why Reiner ended up in the hospital last time, and even though Eren wasn’t really the one at fault, Bertolt couldn’t help but resent how much power he had over his friend’s mental and emotional wellbeing.

If he were honest, Eren’s derailment and blatant disregard for other people’s feelings didn’t shock him really. The Omega had always scared him, ridiculous as that sounded considering their vast size and strength difference. Eren had this sociopathic look in his eyes that made him seem capable of doing anything, good and bad. 

He didn’t pass Bertolt’s vibe check at all, but unfortunately, Reiner’s apparently into crazy himbos. Bertolt had tried to get his friend to snap out of his infatuation since college, but the brawny sap still ended up making a nuclear mess from the choices he made with his lower head.

Back in the present, Bertolt orders another latte without Reiner even noticing. Bertolt chose to make time for an in-person meeting today instead of their usual phone call because of his growing concern for his friend’s prolonged loneliness. In hindsight, it seemed like all his efforts were for naught as Reiner was so focused on his problems he couldn’t even remember that there was another person with him.

Even so, Bertolt still feels uneasy about how Reiner had been acting. He’s always got a lot to say when it involves Eren, but lately, he looks especially… erratic. Bertolt doesn’t trust Reiner enough to leave him alone anymore. If Falco wasn’t around, he couldn’t even begin to imagine the lengths that Reiner might go to force Eren back.

Just as he was about to distract Reiner with a suggestion for another drink, a flash of brown enters his line of vision. A slender young man makes his way into the cafe with his arms clasped around a bulky male, an Alpha judging by his build and overtly sharp pheromones. The pair seems ordinary enough, an attractive Omega and his intimidating companion, but something catches Bertolt’s attention.

When the young man turns, he realizes with a jolt that this was Eren, the very person that Reiner had been complaining about not seeing and hearing from in… how long again? A week? Ugh Reiner needed to work on being more concise and oh— Oh crap. 

He’s not alone.

Eren’s not alone, and judging by the intimate way the two were practically pressed together, the Alpha he was with was the rumoured side dick.

Bertolt squints to get a better assessment of the man, see what was so special to make a sociopath like Eren obsess over him.

For starters, his height wasn’t impressive, but the harsh lines on his face and taut sleeves pulled by his rippling arms sent a clear message that he shouldn’t be messed with. He could be considered conventionally handsome, but that was easily overshadowed by the terrifying look on his face, softening only a bit for when Eren leans in to whisper and smile at him. 

Bertolt has a sinking suspicion that today's lunch was going to turn very ugly very soon. Even though Reiner has the right to be furious at his wife, Bertolt couldn’t help but feel that it was for his own good if he doesn’t see Eren right now. He already knows about the affair, what good would it do him to lose his head in front of so many strangers if he tries to confront them? What if he says something he doesn’t mean? Something that could probably be used against him in court...

As if hearing his thoughts, Reiner suddenly stops, and so does Bertolt’s pulse. Of all times, he picked  _ now _ to suddenly halt his angst and survey his surroundings?!

Reiner slowly turns his head without leaving his seat. Bertolt watches his life flash before his eyes. His quiet life, his efforts of being unnoticed despite his height. In vain. They were all in vain. Reiner was going to do this. Right here, right now. His long-cherished life of peace and quiet was doomed.

Eren’s face stiffens into one of recognition and disbelief when Reiner stands up, the noise from his chair attracting his attention. Next to him, Eren’s lover shows no sign of perplexity. He continues to hold Eren’s hand like there was nothing wrong with the situation, as though he doesn’t even know who Reiner was. 

Reiner shakes in his steps, looking positively nauseous as he points at the man. “Who’s this, Eren?”

Bertolt rushes to his side, trying to push Reiner’s arm down and ignore that stares that were sent their way. Eren’s companion steps in front of him, as if shielding him from Reiner’s sight, but only serving to make the latter angrier.

Eren’s lover raises a narrow brow at them, as though  _ he _ was the one who should be questioning their presence.   
  
“I’m his colleague. Something wrong with that?”

Reiner doesn’t look convinced, and to be fair, neither did anyone else in the room judging by their fidgety glances and whispers. A show was starting, and the urge to get swallowed by the ground has never been stronger in Bertolt.

“Bullshit! Don’t fucking play with me, you fucking bastard. Eren, is this why you’re not coming home? You’re picking apart our marriage for this?! You told me it’s over—You lied  _ again _ !”

“Don’t make a scene, we’ll talk about this later—”

“And when is that? A couple of hours or a couple of weeks? This is Levi isn’t it?  _ Gods _ I can’t  _ believe _ I was dumb enough to trust you!  _ This _ is why we’re not working! Look at you! He’s got you wrapped around his fucking fingers! You missed her birthday for  _ this _ ?! You don’t even care about Gabi anymore—”

_ Bang! _

The lover—Levi, slams a veiny hand on their table. At this point, anyone who wasn’t looking at them before now paid them full attention. Bertolt sorely regrets leaving his seat and associating himself with this messy exchange he wasn’t even party to.

“ _ What did you just say? _ ”

Reiner stiffens a bit at Levi’s intimidating display of strength, but even so, he responds,

“You heard me. Gabi—”

“Don’t you fucking dare say her name. You have  _ no right _ so use her memory against Eren like this after what you did, you fucking shitbag!”

“Who are you to talk? You’re just a third party preying on Eren’s vulnerability. Who’s more of a shitbag between us two?!”   
  
“Why you fucking—”   
  
“Stop!”

Bertolt’s ears are spared from their yelling with Eren’s cry. He turns his head to nod at him gratefully, only to find the Omega pale faced and shaking next to Levi. 

In Bertolt’s memory, Eren was always either smiling with ill-intent, brooding with ill-intent, or glaring with ill-intent. He’s never seen this Eren before, teary and trembling with a sense of glassy fragileness in his silhouette.

Before this, Levi and Reiner were arguing about Gabi. Bertolt suddenly feels bad for Eren. Despite his doubts over Eren’s ability to fall in love, he knows that the Omega’s love for his daughter was genuine and true. The night Gabi passed, Bertolt was also at the hospital, desperately trying to reach Reiner and have him back in time for the little girl’s last moments.

Even if Eren was cruel to Reiner, Bertolt doesn’t think the latter had the right to throw their daughter’s memory around in hopes of arousing Eren’s pity and guilt.

“Both of you—just,  _ please _ . I don’t want to hear another word, especially not you Reiner.  _ Gods _ the mere  _ sight _ of you makes me sick to my stomach. I can’t even look at you without seeing anything but a reminder of what you put me through. Everytime I force myself to come back it  _ sucks the life _ out of me. If you want your perfect little family so bad, I’ll leave so you can move that woman and her child in permanently!”

The beige paper in Eren’s hands that Bertolt had just notice was torn to shreds, its fibers soaked with what seemed to be Eren’s blood. Without another word, he bolts straight for the door, leaving crimson paper pieces littered on the floor.

“Look at what you did, dipshit.”

It was Levi’s disdainful voice that snapped everyone out of their shocked stupor. He wastes no time in running after Eren, calling out for him like  _ he _ was the Omega’s husband.

Bertolt doesn’t move, unwilling to face Reiner’s look of uncontrollable grief that he will undoubtedly find. But unlike him, the strangers surrounding them wasted no energy in hiding their contempt for Reiner. It was clear who they viewed as the villain based on the show just now. The public reaction was so overwhelmingly negative that Bertolt could help but wonder, did Eren do it on purpose?

Regardless of the truth, it was clear who won this fight.

Without warning, a shaky hand clasps Bertolt’s shoulder, prompting him to look at its owner. Reiner’s glassy red-rimmed eyes told him all he needed to know. Bertolt wordlessly supports his friend with one arm, guiding him out after whispering something to the closest waitress.

The trip back to Reiner’s place was a silent one. At some point, it had begun to rain, prompting the already sullen mood to plummet even more. As if that wasn’t enough, Bertolt’s stereo decided that it’d be a grand idea to randomly play Joji’s  _ slow dancing in the dark _ . The song didn’t even relate that well to Reiner’s current predicaments, but human feelings were strange. Whenever one goes through a plight, one couldn’t help but twist the meaning of all the forces in the world and make it feel like the universe was mocking them.

Reiner shifts in his seat, obviously listening to the song. They arrive at his house without a single word being exchanged. Instead of getting out, they both stay rooted in their seats, staring blankly at the crystalline rain droplets weeping off the windshield.

_ Used to be the one  _

_ To hold you when you fall _

_ I don't fuck with your tone _

_ I don't wanna go home  _

_ Can it be one night? _

_ Can you? _

_ Can you? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah... i was listening to this while writing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT47juuYt-8&ab_channel=lyricsart


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